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LrRARY
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GRAMMATICAL NOTICES

OF THE

ASAMESE LANGUAGE
ri
(-

BY
V^

N.

BROWN.

SIBS AGOR:
PRINTED AT THE AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION PRESS.
1848.

\Dm

STAOC

c:

7 1

Bl
INTRODUCTION.
The
ed as

Notices do not claim to be regarda Grammar of the Asamese Language; nor were
following

they prepared with a view to publication in their present state.

They were commenced with

the intention

of printing only a few sheets, for private use, of the

most common grammatical forms; but the work having extended beyond what was anticipated,
it

may not

be unsuitable to prefix a few introductory remarks.

Like many other dialects of India, the Asamese

language owes the greater portion of
to the ancient Sanskrit.
it

its

vocabulary

The Bengali

alone excepted,

probably contains a greater proportion of Sanskrit

derivatives than any other Lidian tongue.

it

Whether
it

was

itself a dialect of the

Sanskrit, or whether

was formed by engrafting the Sanskrit upon some

ginal native stock

ori-

now

extinct,

is

uncertain

the latter

however,
languages
is

is

the

more probable opinion.

With what
affiliated,

this original stock

may have been

j

an

interesting, but difficult inquiry

as

but very

few Asamese words, not derived from the Sanskrit,

are to be found in any of the neighboring dialects
hitherto examinedliar objects are

The names of common and

fami-

those which longest resist the en-

croachments of a foreign tongue; and a further com-

057

IV

parison of this class of

Asamese words with

the cor-

responding terms in the original languages of the

Chutias, Kacharis Kooches and other tribes by which

Asam
light
It is

has been peopled, would probably throw

much

on the origin of the language

in

present use.

remarkable that the Ahoms,

and conquered the country,

been able

who overspread and who now constitute

in the

a large proportion of the population, should have

to

produce no alteration

language of
terra in

the original inhabitants;

scarcely a single

present use being traceable to the

ancient

Ahom.

This language, which was closely allied to the Shyan

is now understood only by a few Ahom who still preserve their old religion. The Asamese is often regarded as merely a corrupt form of the Bengali, by persons who become acquaint-

and Siamese,
priests,

ed with

tiiat

language previous to their arrival

in

Asam.
to

Finding so large a proportion of v\ords

common

Bengali and Asamese, and not considering that this

similarity necessarily results from the

derivation of

these languages from Sanskrit, the

both,
is
it

common

parent of

has been hastily concluded that the

Asamese

but an uncouth jargon, formed by the incorporation

witli the

of Bengali

various dialects of the country.

is It

The
is

opinion that the present language of Bengal

is

the parent of Asamese,

well

irreconcilable with facts.

known

that there had been no inllux of

Benin-

galis into this province, prior to the

Mohammedan

vasion;

at which time the language was established

in its present form.

Very few of

tle

Brahmans of

Asara have any connection or fellowship with those of

Bengal

they trace their origin to the upper provin-

ces of India: and vve accordingly find that the

ese,

Asam-

though saturated with Sanskrit, corresponds in

other respects, especially in pronunciation, with the

Hindustani rather than the Bengali.

In

fact, the

As-

aniese pronunciation of words derived from the Sanskrit

is

such as to render the supposition of a Bengali

origin entirely inadmissible.

acteristic

A very prominent char,

is
jft

of this language
*r,

the pronunciation of
like the guttural

the Sanskrit letters

^, and

h or

kh, corresponding with the Greek

X^

a sound un-

known
still

in Bengali.

Traces of

this pronunciation

are

found in the language of

Upper India;

in the

Brij Bliakha (Bengali, bhasha,) or original language

of Hindustan; and
in the

modern Hindustani, where

o^ dosJi;

we

find

dokU,
//za^,

guilt, instead

mak, month,

in-

stead of

&c.

Had

the Asaraese

been introdu-

ced from Bengal, the Bengali pronunciation w^ould undoubtedly have accompanied
letters b
it.

For

the

two Sanskrit

and

v,

the Bengali alphabet has but one reb,

presentative,
^,

while the Asamese contains ^ and

pronounced b and w.
in

Thus

the

name of the Hindu

in

god Shiva,

Bengali

is

pronounced Sib,

Asamese

Hiwo;

conclusively showing that the two languages,

though derived from a

common

source, have no direct

connection with each other^

The pronunciation of
Asamese and

and

9t

are

also essentially diflferent in

Tl

Bengali; the former being pronounced

ck, in

in

Bengal as

Asara invariably as

s.

in

Bengali has the

hard sound of the English 7; in Asamese it is pronounced like z or rather like the French 7, a slight
,

sound of the consonant y being combined with the z^

as in the

word azure,

az-yure.

For beauty and

softness, the
;

Asnmese language

is

much

superior to the Bengali

It is

resembling in

this res-

pect the Hindustani.

not inferior, in copious-

ness, to any of the Indian languages,

and

is

capable

of indefinite extension by additions from the Sanskrit.

The

native pundits, in fact,

make no scruple

to intro-

duce, whenever necessity or convenience requires, any

word, however unusual, that may be Ibund

sacred writings.

in

their

This

is

a license which

is

often abu-

sed

native writers being apt to adorn their composiis

tions with a profusion of Sanskrit that

quite unne-

cessary, and renders their productions wholly unintelligible to

the

common

people.

The

only

Asamese books which can be regarded

as

a standard of good prose writing are the Buronj'is^ or histories, which have been written during the last

two or three hundred years.

but few prose works
eral matliematical

Besides these there are

Translations of sevto be

in existence.

and other Sanskrit works are

is

found;

but the language

less

pure than that of the

Buronjis.

Most
in

of the sacred writings of the

Asa-

mese are

poetry; which ditfors so widely from the

to ac-

spoken language, that the student who wisiies

Vll

quire a correct style, should confine himself, at the

coraraencement of

his studies, entirely to prose.

ORTHOGRAPHXAlthough, as a spoken language, the Asamese has

been fixed

in its

present form for centuries,

it

ap-

pears never to have been written on any settled and

uniform principles of orthography,

it

in this respect

own language previous to the introduction of printing, when the word kijig was writAs a speten indifferently, cyng, cinge, kynge, &c. cimen of the orthography of those times, we select a
resembles our

passage from a manuscript Bible of the fourteenth

century, quoted in Dr. Clark's
Manuscript Orthography.

Commentary.
Modern Orthography.

Cum
townes:
see

ray leef,
erli riise

go we out into

Come, my
to the field
in
;

love,

go we out

in-

the feeld, dwelle

we togydir in we to the vyne

;

dwell
if

towns; early

we together rise we to the

we

gif

tlie

vyne flouride

gif
i

vine; see
ed,
er.
if

we

the vine flower-

the floures,fruytis bringen forth; gif the poumgarnetis flouren ?

fruits, if

The mandraggis yeven

smel in oure yeatis.

their

bring forth the pomegranates flowThe mandrakes give their

the
flowers
all

newe and
to thee.

olde

my
vii,

Alle appis leef, I kept

1.
I

smell in our gates:

apples
I

new and
(for) thee.

old,

my

love,

kept

Cant,

Sol.

Song,

vii, 1.

The

perfection of a written language evidently con-

sists in its

corresponding, as

far as possible,

with the

language actually spoken.

In order for this, the fol-

lowing rule

is

indispensable, viz. That every

sound

should have

its oicn

appropriate character i

and

that every letter should express a single invariable

sound.

There

will

then be neither more nor fewer

Vlll

letters than the vocal sounds.

The Sanskrit

alphabet,

a modification of which

is

used for writing Asamese,

conimns ffti/

letters, while the

number of sounds

in

Asamese

is

only tliirty-six.

The

use of an alphanaturally
find

bet containing so

many redundant letters, has

led to the great variety of spelling which

in native writers;

we now

the sanie sound being expressed

different let-

by two, and sometimes by three and four

ters; while, not unfrequently, the

same

letter has

been

employed
bers of the

to express different sounds.

in this

cing the printing of books

commenlanguage, the memIn

it

Asam

Mission considered

important to

establish a correct

and uniform system of orthogra-

phy.

Three modes of proceedure suggested them-

selves, viz.
1.

To

spell all

words derived from the Sanskrit,

accordance with

and others as

far as practicable, in

the orthography of that language;

2.

To adopt
or

as

a standard the

orthography of

some native
script;
3.

writer,

or approved Asamese manu-

To

select from

different

works those forms

which were

most agreeable to general usage, and

method,

which best correspond to the actual pronunciation.

The

first

it

was found, would,

if strictly

followed, produce such distortions of the language as

to render
it

nearly unintelligible.
to a

To

bring back the

spoken language

correspondence with the original

;

orthography was an evident impossibility

it

was

IX

therefore necessary to

make

the orthography corres-

pond with the pronunciation.

tially

This had been parto select a stan-

done

in the native writings;

dard, however, was difficult;

differing from each other,

manuscripts not only

but possessing no consisthemselves.

tency or uniformity

within

The work
system,

which made the nearest approach

to a regular

was a manuscript Bengali Dictionary, with Asamese

definitions,

prepared by Joduram

Deka Borua,

learned

Asamese Pundit.
to

work was found

with;
the

The orthography of this correspond much better with the

actual pronunciation than any other that had been met

greater porti:)n of the redundant letters

were discarded i while the general forms of words

agreed, for the most part, with those found in the Buronjis.

The most important variations from

1.

the Sanskrit or-

thography sanctioned by Joduram, are the following:

The use of f

only, instead of the

two forms ^

and ^.
2.

3.

The The

use of a single character for

rejection of
it is

^ and ^.
Iri.

^ and

^,

Iri

and

These

characters,

believed, have never been used in

writing Asamese.
4.

The

substitution of 5 for^, and, with few ex-

ceptions, of
5-

for ^.
i\

The use of
*r,

to express the three Sanskrit let-

ters

^, and
*r

7[.

In a very few instances only does

he use

or ^.

6.

that

The use of for No Asatuese manuscript we have seen makes any distinction between
i{ ^1.

these letters.
7.

The use of

-of

for ^.

The alphabet
mained;

being-

thus far

simplified,

it

was
re-

discovered that only two redundant letters

-fiitf)

still

express the united sound of

and

5r,

used to represent the sound

ofm

j-

rand i; To these

therefore the knife

was applied without

to as

hesitation,

and the written character brought

the language will

exact a cor-

respondence with the proiuinciation, as the nature

admit;
every
radically

of

difierent
its

sound having one and only one

representative.

distinct

symbol as

In accomplishing this desirable end,

character has been introduced
;

not a single

new

so

that the language, as

now

printed,

is

read at once, and

with entire ease, by natives

who had, previously been acquainted only with. their own manuscripts. That the priests and pundits, who despise the vernacular, and would gladly lock up
all

knowledge

in

Sanskrit and Bengali, should unite in any effort for

improving or systemizing their own language,

to

is

not

be expected;

yet even they, from the

constant

perusal of our printed books and papers, are begin-

ning to regard the vernacular with respect i

while

amongst the common people, our

their

eflbrts to give

them

own language

in a

simple and unifonu dress,

have met with universal favor.

XI

The

following

is

the Sanskrit alphabet, in the usual

character, with the corresponding

Roman

letters.

xn

SOUNDS OF THE LETTERS.

The
original sound of the vowel

^ is
word

uncertain

it

probably expressed the sounds both of short o and

the indistinct , as

heard

in the

dollar.

In

Asamese
o, as in

the sound fluctuates between long and short

the two syllables of the

is

word morrow.
are considered as
"Sf;

This sound

regarded as naturally inherent in

thus, ^,
4f,
sf,

every consonant;

combinations of these consonants with

letters ko,

in

Roman

kho, go, pronounced as

if

writen kaw,

khawy gaw.
neath

To show

that a consonant is final, or

is

destitute of the
it,

vowel sound, a mark

it is

placed be-

thus <p; or

combined with a consonant

,

immediately following, as ^^f onto. Usage, however, sanctions the omission of the inherent vowel at the

end of nearly
sonant
is

all

Sanskrit words where the last con-

single,

even though the mark be not affixed.

Thus Its is pronounced Ram, not Ramo; ^^ bor, not boro; ^^^ norok, not noroko. This remark applies
only to prose;
the vowel.
to the

common Asamese
at the

poetry retains

In native schools, pupils are often taught

add the inherent vowel

end of every word,

even in prose j a practice at once pedantic and absurd.

The sense

will generally
is

show with

suflicient

clearness where the vowel

to be preserved, without

the constant use of

but

this

mark should be

retain-

ed wherever

its

omission would cause obscurity.

In
its

the middle of words, especially of proper names,

use

is

indispensable.

Xlll

It is only

by long familiarity with the spoken lanletter, in its vari-

guage, that the proper sound of this ous positions, can be acquired.

As

a general rule

it

may be remarked,
as ^fir kori,
5rft

that in the infinitive form of verbs

dhori,

and whenever the vowel ^

occurs in the succeeding syllable, the

has

its

long

sound, as in gloryy when succeeded by ^

also long, as in Tt^ goru,
f\-^

u, it is

horu, ^^ijl ronua.

it is

In

the present tense of the indicative mood,

short,

though followed by
with boy.

i,

as in

^t

loi,

which rhymes

Native writers often use the

mark

c^

to

denote the long sound of w, where the word would be

otherwise ambiguous; thus -^m kola, with the
signifies black',
^=t1

long,

kola, with the j short, signifies

deaf, or
buffalo f
is

a plantain. In like manner ^^ moh, is a s^ moh, a musketoe; though the distinction

This mark
it

so slight as to be scarcely perceptible to a Euroear.

is

pean

sometimes inserted over ^

to distinguish
it

from

and over ^
tt.

to distinguish

from

vg tu,

and from

^1 has properly the sound of a in father

often shortened,

but

it is

and resembles the a

in

America^
atai,

especially when^ unaccented, as in the

alt.

word ^T^Tl'

It

never has the broad sound of a in hall, so

in Bengali.

common

?, ^. These vowels are used indiscriminately, to

express the sounds of

in

pique pin, pity.

^

The As-

amese language knows no

distinction in these vowels,

xiy

except what

is

produced by accent;

to

which the

Sanskrit distinction of Jong and short, denoted by the

two characters ^ and ^, has of course no reference the former requiring, in Asamese, from its position,
a lengthened sound, quite as often as the
attempt
fusion.
to
latter.

The
it

preserve both characters only creates conto follow

Were we

the Sanskrit rules,

i

would be necessary
sound

to use the short

in writing f^ ki,
its

f^ di, f^c^ dile, f^^ dibo, where the vowel has

est
;

long-

while

^Tf^T rani, <^tf^

its

paui, ^Tf^^ panit*

is

where the vowel from would become ^l^t

position

necessarily short,

rani, ^Tsft pani, ^Tsf}^ panit!

letters

The above remarks are equally applicable to the ^ and ^. Both express the same sound, that
rzile,

of w in

or oo in poor.

^
of ?

"^

ft>,

^-

These four heterogeneous compounds

and f i, are no ornaments to any modern language, whatever may have been their use in the
r, 21 1,

Sanskrit.

Only the
it

first

has ever been used in writing

Asamese, and

may

well be dispensed with, being

an unnecessary and awkward abbreviation to denote

the union of ^ and ^, and disfiguring the printed page

with such combinations as ^f'jf^ prithibi, ^fe

sristi,

instead of the regular and more elegant forms fttf^f^

The vowel 4 corresponds

to the English e in

wew;

and represents invariably the same sound.

Its pro-

XV
nunciation at the end of a word
foreigners not unfrequently give
is
it

somewhat

difficult;

the sound of

ay

in

day'i an error which should be most studiously avoid-

ed.

Great care should also be taken to give

it

it

the

proper sound, when

Cif<3

precedes another vowel

beun.

as in

deu, c^^g teun,

d^
\^

These must not be

>

pronounced so as to rhyme with ^T^ nau, stT^ gaun

nor with

%^

koun,

houn, &c.

The

student will

do well

to practice

upon these three

classes of
is

words

with the help of a native teacher, until he

familiar with each.

entirely

A added

to

words ending

in

or ^i

is

changed to

t; as Jg^putroi, instead

'^a

putroe, emphatic form

ofsj^; c^^tt ienai, instead of c^fiTT^ henae, nominative emphatic of c^TJ^l hena, a warrior.

The sound of ^
of 02 in going^ but

is is

not difficult

it

resembles that

often pronounced obscurely, es-

pecially at the end of a word.

By

the vulgar the o

letter

sound
simple

is
z,

often entirely sunk,

and the

becomes a

as ^f?:ifi=T koriboli, for ^iic^^?T koriboloi, to

do \

^tf?^ tali, for

^\t^

taloi, thither.
it

When this

let-

ter has its full

sound,

should be represented in the

with the accent.
in

Roman
vQ,

character

by

6i,

the Sanskrit long o

this letter is
first

Asamese,

u.

The proper

sound of
those

seldom acquired by foreigners;

it

who

learn Bengali give

the sound of long

0, as it is

pronounced

in that language;
it

while per-

sons commencing Asamese give

the sound of oo in

XVI

doom, or u

in bull.

It

corresponds more nearly to

still

the latter sound than any other in English;

is

there

a slight verging towards the sound of o in whole,

which the learner should endeavor to acquire the power of imitating.

This vowel slides into the sound

in the

of ^, when followed by ^
resembling in
this

succeeding syllable;
is

particular the letter ^, which

to

changed from short

long

o,

when followed by
bulise,
c^Tcefl

^.

Thus c^M^
is
^fir

bule, he says,

becomes -^z^

he

saying, by a change of tense;

buli,

bulun, I say,

saying i c?!^ rgg, disease, ^frf?! rugia, di-

seased', ctfTT dgh, guilt, ^f?! duhi, guilty.

So

also

^ u becomes ^
mar, thine

u,

when
',

the following

is

exchangtu-

ed for a different vowel

;

^fa tumi, thou,

Cx5T5iT5

wt^^fsT apuni, one^s self,

^\i^\^'H apunar,

one's own.

The

letter v is

considered as a compound of
in

and ^ u ; the sound

note, more.

Asamese

is

that of long o, as in

The

characters
the

">^

and
is

are improperly classed with

isf,

the vowels;

first

simply the letter ^ or

the second
is

de-

prived of

its

inherent vowel;

synony-

mous with

t, and therefore unnecessary.

^ and
latter
its

J^.

The

first

of these

is

a simple k, and the

aspirate, like
<or

kh

in

the

compound word
incorrectly

brick-ho7ise.

is

frequently but

pro-

nounced

like

>T

h.

XVll

9r is

the

common hard

g,

and

the

same

letter as-

pirated, as in log house,

>S,

usually expressed in Asaraese

character

^ ng

and

5t), is

by the compound equivalent to n in smky

this letter requires the
"n.

or ng in sing.

In cases where
it is

mark

^ underneath,

written

It

never begins

an Asamese word.
F,

^.

The
in

latter

of these

is

properly an aspirate of

the first;

Asaraese both are pronounced like sim^

the sound of ch
;

pie s.
this,
v5l

They never have

fy
is

to express
title

often used, as in writing the

of the

Ahom
*? j>

rajas,

^JT^ chau, Lord.

jh'

These are both pronounced

like zy, or

si in vision (viz-yun),

corresponding to the French j.

At
tez.

the end of words, the sound of the

is

scarcely

perceptible; thus ca^, C^, are pronounced mez, and

vP

ny,is commonly used in

n, as c^TT^^T^

Asamese manuscripts
guhain
j

to

denote the nasal

the symbol
'

but in printing,

is

used instead

thus,c^t^f^ guhain.

To

a person acquainted only with the English langis

uage, this sound

somewhat
it

diflScult.

Care must be
'

taken not to pronounce

like ng.

It is precisely the

French n in V enfant.

Native writers often omit the

it.

even where the pronunciation requires

is

This mark

not considered a distinct letter, but only a modifi-

XVlll

cation of the vowel with which

dictionaries, a letter thus

it

is

connected.
its

In

marked takes

place im-

mediately under the same letter followed by the vowels; thus

i follows
v5

^f,

^<3,

^*^&c. but precedes

first
t

j?^.

^ t,t
letters

th,

d, F dh.

The

and third of these

resemble the English

and d; the second and

usual form of t in As-

fourth are the corresponding aspirates, sounded as in

hot-house, Good-hope.

The

amese writings
e|.

is 5;.

This

letter,

when

it

occurs in the alphabet,

is

pronounced r j
cisely as ^.

in Sanskrit

words,

it is

sounded pre-

v5 t, 5t

th,

IT

d,

dh.

These

letters scarcely differ

from those of the foregoing

class,

and are often con-

founded with them by the natives of Asam.

To

pro-

nounce these

letters the tip

of the tongue should be

if

applied to the roots of the teeth, as

to utter the

we were about
an

word

think.

Yet
^ or ^

care should be taken

like the English th^
fall.

not to pronounce either

error into which Europeans sometimes

t

The

first

in

Mat-thew, and

in the
if.

word breadth, have very

nearly the sound of and

n, is

sounded precisely

like the

corresponding

English
*>t

letter.

p,

ph.

The

latter is often

pronounced by the

natives like the English J\

XIX

is

the

common

b,

and

its

aspirate, like

hh

in

cob-house.
51

m.
is

This

letter

combined with a preceding con*

iv\ thus

sonant

sometimes corruptly pronounced as

^t^', atwa for atma; ^^ir, svvoron for smoron.

^.

The

original pronunciation of this letter in Sans-

krit is y'i

but in Asamese

it is

usually changed to j,

and should therefore be written m.

krit

When
^r.

the Sans-

sound

is

retained,

it is

customary to distinguish
thus,

the letter

by a dot beneath
initial,

it,

As an

is

often pronounced like

correctly.

This
is

letter is substituted for

^, but in^ i, whenev>

er the latter

followed by another vowel

is

thus the

emphatic form of F^r^ sorai, a bird,

^X\t^ y

'^^T^

not

^f ^5,

genitive

WMH not of ^^, fear. When

hial, a

is

followed by
fft^rfJT

or ^1,

is

usually substituted for

f>f?rt?i

'SI,

as

gian, knowledge')

jackal

though some writers retain the ^.

less generally,
sfij

Sometimes, but

A following ^, as die, he gives. In Asamese ^ can never f^,l^ for ff substituted for ^aj when it follows ^ or vs though be In Asamese the ^ would this is done in Bengali. give a wrong sound; thus the past participle of the
?
is

substituted for

verb ^^

hoi, to be,

cannot be written c\H\ huya, but

must

be spelt either C5;T^1 hua, or c\^^\

in

huwa, which

are identical
writers.;

sound, and are both used by good

When
it

51

is

combined with a preceding consonant,

j,

takes the form

i

and

is

commonly pronounced

as if

an
is

were inserted before the consonant;

^ttij, ag3'a

pronounced aigya; 5^jl rokhya becomes roikhya.

the vulgar the
sf^rj
7/

By

is

often entirely sunk,

and j^j
if

hunyo,
written

dhonyo,

'si^rj

onyo, are pronounced as

t^^

huin, >jf ^ dhoin, wt^l oin.

r,

has the usual sound of this

letter.

When

it

occurs at the end of a word, great care must be taken

to join
it

closely with the preceding vowel,

and not

insert an inteniiediate sound,

syllable.

making an additional
thus fair
like
is

In English this
fa-iir^ like

pronounced

common; prayer', more

is

mow-en
be apt

Aire like high-er.

to introduce the

From

habit, the student will

same sound

into

Asamese, and progawritten

nounce TfiR^ gakhir,

7nilk^ as if written ?flf^^T5

if

khi ar; ^if^^ panir, of water ^ as

pa-ni-ar;
j;5

<^.lf^?rTc

pur, /z///,

as if written ^315 pu-or, or

i:)oor.

like the English

word,

This error vitiates the

pronunciation of almost every European.

Combined with a preceding consonant this letter is placed underneath, as J;5 expressed by the mark
putro, a son.
If the

^ precede,

it is

expressed by the
letter, as in

mark
'fTTS

" called

c<^ reph, written over the

In Sanskrit,

porbot, a mountain.

this

mark

placed over a consonant generally requires the latter

to be

doubled;

thus

^^^

is

written

<1^ porbbot;
becomes t^^*I

f^xfq nirraol, clearly from ^^\

and

si??,

X%1
nirmraol

^^i korta, becomes ^#1 kortta, &c. The aspirates, however, together with 5, ?r, JT, j^, do not
;

admit of being doubled.

cT 1,

requires no particular explanation.

letter

The
is

ir

w,

is

not used at the

commencement

of words-

la Sanskrit words commencing with v, ^

substituted for ?.
is

The

letter

^3

when followed by

or 4

changed

to

?; thus c^^, with the

^^<3 nau.
-rtl^

emphatic 4,

becomes c%C?tenwe;
becomes
STT?^
^T?^^

a boat,

in the genitive
y

nawor;

gaun, a village

becomes

ganwor.
a preceding consonant ?
is

Combined with
is,

expressto

ed by a ^ placed underneath; the sound of the

however, often scarcely perceptible;

thus ^5?T

sworog, fg^ Iswor, ^^^t sworup, are pronounced

nearly as
if

written Fi?f sorog, 5"^^ Isor,

5:5?^

sorup.
is

The

full

pronunciation of the

in these cases

ine-

legant, and should be avoided.

*t,

^,

r.

The

native pronunciation of these three

Sanskrit letters being the same, only one character

h, is used in printing

Asamese.
or the

This

letter

has the
as

sound of guttural
in the act of

M,

Greek X, pronounced
throat.

hawking phlegm from the

It is

of the utmost importance that the learner should acquire the correct pronunciation of this letter;
care not to confound
it

taking

either with

-Jt

kh, or with the

simple

5^ h.

XXIV

The vowels

are coin))ined with the consonants in

the following miinner:

XXV

The Sanskrit rules for when they fall together at

words
"Qy

the permutation of vowels,

the end and beginning of

I",

to

be combined, as ^,

^, changed to ^i,

vs,

are not observed in Asamese.

is

Thus

^^i^ f^^-, the

dis-

Supre?ne God,
tinct

written and pronounced as two

in

words, not ^i^ca^^ as

Sanskrit;
i^Rsr

5i^sr

^ir^T^
itf>i'-

Holy Incarnation, not ^-^[i^u;

compounds introduced from
bined
state,

^^^

not

C^T^C north and south. But familiar and established

the Sanskrit in their

comas

may preserve

these permutations;
^

c^^Tf^^I^ dehadhikar, riiler of a country instead of

CIT ^r^jf'PRJ
udoi, the

Fc;^Ti^ soadrudoi for "5^

rising;
c^>r

%^t sondro
yet the

moons

(TT^Tl^^

dehantor, beyond
;

the country^ instead of

^^-c deh ontor

is CH^l.

more usual and regular form

odhikar,

^r^^]K dehor
the

^^^ ^if sondror udoi, &c. Words are often contracted in Asamese by
^,

ommission of
dle of a word,

and certain other

letters in the
f";
t^^

mid-

when followed by
i

the vowel

as>JTC
uoi for

hoite for yrT^CS hohite

srfff

t^ koi for ^f^ kori;

nodi,

t^

p6i for

^^s

potij t^f^ ghoini for

^f^sff^r

^^f^
J^tz^

ghorini; Z^'fiU hcidhoni for

horidhoni;

khuise for

-^i 9iC5

khujise, he
bulile,

asks for, and sometimes

he said.

"^m

buile, for

^^z^

The numerical

notation in

Asamese corresponds

to

that of the English; the following being the forms ot

the figures in use:

XXVI

When
again; a

word

is

to be re(3eatecl,
it,

it is

usual to place
the

the figure

< after

instead of writing

word

cluinsj' contrivance,

which often renders a

sentence ambiguous, and which ought not to be tolerated in print.

Other abbrevations
for
fg;
;

in use are -^ (Bengali

or ^t)

sri,

Ulnstrious, a word
t/

prefixed to proper

names

and

signifying Iswor, or the triliteral

name

of the deity, ^, a u m.

The

character
is

^ is affixed

where the

first

part only
-^^

of a word

written, as ^'^ for ^?P1,

a rupee\

for

^^?, number;

f^'s

'si^n

for

f^
it

wivsr^, or Ayino

Domini.
In writing the
in

names of

places,
is

rivers,

&c.

of

Asam,

Roman

characters,

usual

to follow

the Bengali pronunciation;

thus

we say Asam, from

5^s*

the Bengali ^rsTta, instead of the native term

Ohom,

or

'Sfi^'si

Ahom}

Sibsagor instead of f^TJ^t^^

Hiwohagor; Gowahati instead of ^t^T^I^ Guahati;

and Nowgong, which
gaun,
is

a corruption of ^^l^^

No-

New

Village.

they

* This was the term given by the natives to the Shyans, when signifies unequalcd, from Ji^j first invaded the country, and The word is commonly hoin, equal, and w, negative particle. by Europeans, to correspond with the present viwhich gives the first a the short sound as The s in battle, instead of the full Italian sound as in papa. being single in the original, it seems better to preserve the same orlhowraphy in English; and for this we have the best authorites
first explored and described the country, Wilson's Sanskrit Dictionary, Peaijce's Geography, Hobinso.n's Descriptive Account of Asam, &lc. &-6.

written

Assam

tiated pronunciation,

Wilcox, who

ASAMESE ALPHABET.
''Mter

Letter.

There

are no articles in Asamese.

Their place

is

supplied by

4^

ek, one, for the indefinite,

and

(i\%

hei, that, for the definite.

A
W\W

noun standing without an

affix to limit

its

signi-

fication, is

used either for the singular or plural; thus

viariy

manuh, may either mean man^ a

the

man,

or men, the men.

t:^ hont, or
is

To
bur,

denote the plural,

is

f^c^T^P bilak,

czw

aflBxed.

Of

these, the first

the most honorary.

Asamese nouns have

1st.

four degrees of emphasis

2d.

The radical form sri^^ manuh, man. The same slightly emphatic, as S"t^(:^ manuhe. The same
The
still

This is generally used for the nominative to a verb.

3d.

more emphatic, by the addition

it

of f, as STf^c^t" <pflT^,
4th.

was man

that did
is

it.

highest degree of emphasis

denoted by

the affix cTj as ^iT^^c^ ^fircT,

manuhhe

korile, it

was

only

man

that did

it.

The

cases are six, besides the vocative, which

is

identical with the nominative in form.

DECLENSION of HT^^ mauuh, a man.

SINGULAR OR PLURAL.
Nominative,
Genitive,
Dative,
sjT^J^

511^5;^

manuhor

sn^j^^sT
sii^^, 5lt*[^^

Accusative,
Locative,

?rt^^^
sfT^ci;

Ablative

man man manuholoi to or for a man a man manuhok in a man at or manuhot manuhe by or with a man
manuh
a or the

of a

Emphatic Form.

Nora.

sit^C^
5ii5j$^^5

manuhe
manuhore
manuholoike

Gen.
Dat. Ace.

^T^^tcTC^
5iT^^C^
5rT=Jf;c^
al^C5;?:i[

manuhoke
manuhote

Log,
Abl.

manuhere

man man to, as far as, the man the man at, in, to the man by or with the man
a or the

of the

PLURAL.

Nom.
Gen.
Dat.

men of men raanuhbilakor manuhbilakoloi toorformen

manuhbilak

Ace. Loc.
Abl.

manuhbilakok
manuhbilakot
at or in

men
with

manuhbilake
Emphatic Form.

men men

Nom.
Gen.
Dat.

^t^^f^^t^^
5JT^^f^lT^C5
siT^i^f^cll^P^cTC'P

manuhbilake
nianuhbilakore
of
to

manuhbilakoloike

Ace.

aT[5;f^51t^CJP

manuhbilakoke
manuhbilakote
at or in

LocAbl.

^H^f^1t^CN5
5r]^^f^?fTC^C5

manuhbilakere
INFERIOR.

with

men men men men men men

Nom.
Gen.
Dat. Ace.

manuliont

manuhontor
inanuhoutoloi

men of men
to or for

manuhontok
manuhontot
at or in

Loc.
Abl.

manuhonte

by or with

men men men men

Emphatic Form,

Norn.

siT^tc^

raanulionte

men
of
to

Gen.
Dat.

siT^^u^
5iTs[tt51C^

manuhontore
nianuhontoloike

men
men

Ace.
Loc.
Abl.

5iT5jtC^
5iT^"l:^C^

manuhontoke
manuhontote
at or in

5it^tcC4

manuhontere

by or with

men men men

Otherwise:
Norn.
sn^^c^T^"

Gen.
Dat.

Ace.
Loc. Abl.

men of men inanuhburor to or for men manuhburoloi manuhbnrok men at or in men manuhburot manuhbure by or with men
raanuhbur
Emphatic Form.

Nora.

Gen.
Bat.

Ace.
Loc.

Abl.

men of men manuhburore to men manuhburoloike men manuhburoke at or in men nianuhburote raanuhburere by or with men
manuhbure
in

Nouns ending

^ are thus
^^X

declined

Simple Form.

Emphatic.

Nom.
Gen.
Dat.

-sj^

putro
putror
putroloi

putroi

a son

^J^^

^Z\
Ji5C<?

putrore

of a son
to a son

^:^t^
-pf^^

^i^telC^ putroloike
putrol^e

Aec.
Loe. Abl.

putrok
putrot
putroi

a son
at a son

^^^ ^^t

9^1^
^11'^'^

putrote
putrere

with a son

Plural^

^^Rt^,

::

Nouns ending
Simple.

in

i1

Emphatic.

Nom.
Gen.
Dat.

sn
5^iTT

ga
gar
galoi

^T^
^ttc?:

gai

body

gare
galoike

of a body
to a

^itT

flltflC^

body

Ace. Log.
Abl.

?n
?tT^

ga
gat
gai
stTC^R,
in

TfTC^
?tic^

gake
gate

a body

on a body
with a body

^tt

^TCi
^ttf^^lT^,

gare

Plural,

&c.

Nouns ending
Simple.

t
Emphatic.

Nom.

Nouns ending

in

Nouns endiug

in

a consonant are thus declined

Nouns
which
is

are sometimes joined with the affix

or c^,

nearly equivalent to the article the in English,

as siT^^r^, sit^^C^l, the

man.

These forms are thus

declined:
Simple.

Emphatic.

Simple.

Emphatic.
siT^^c'^l^a

Nora.

^T^j^C^

srt^^C^l

Gen.
Dat.

siT^^^5
^iT^^^t^l

at^^^^C^

aTf5:c^T?
siH^c'^lt^^

^T^^C^tc^

st^J^^^^C^

sH^c^r^s^C^
STT^^C^TC^
?rT^5?:c^T^^

AceLoo.

5iT5^^^
511^5:^^

^t^^^C^
^iT^^^c^
^]^\Z^l-^

viT^^C^T^

m^^c^T^
5iT^^r^Tvl

Abl
C^

^^^\l^
is

m^^c^T^c^

also placed after the genitive to distinguish

an individual from others; as ^^c^l bortu, the largest^

v51^C^

tolortu, the
^I't^^c^l

lower one^

^m^J^

majortu, the

middle one,
ft is

pasortu, the last.

applied to objects that are small, delicate or

little

beloved; as RTtft, a
dear
little

bird; c^u.

fa^

=I^Tft,

my
is

son.

Generic Nouns.
used,
it is

When

a numeral adjective

usually conjoined with a generic aflBx, de-

noting the class to which the noun belongs, as STT^^

^^S^T,

men two

persons,
i.

i.

e.

two men^f C^T^lf^

fl^f^,

girl

one female,

e.

girl.

The

following are

some of the
^1,

principal generic affixes.

applied to things in general, without any partias

cular classification;

^\

aT^^,

oneman^

^^TC^T^l

FiTti five birds

ft, to

\ixs^\ ?r?, ten houses.

things that are small, as

f ^^T^ C^T^Tf^

FT^ftj

four chickens.

10
sTiT

or

Jii]^,

a sheet, any thing spread out, or ex^Tf^, a sheet of water; ^f,^ '^^^f two

tended i as
boats
;

A'^\i{

^'^^fk

*fl-tf^,

a knife.
;

C^ftl, ^fW, a tree or bush

^151

as cfTC^t^^l ^F,

two trees >

^Mi

C5it*^1,

twelve

mango trees.
;

^IF,

a tree, applied to things long and slender

as

(51^f^!tF,
>5TT,

two ropes; c^U^

a branch;
^15;
;

^U

^sTf, a

gold chain.

v5Tf%,

C^Id

^T^r, sixteen

bam-

boos;

2iT-afe >ii\5T5^,

a cane

Fifi[ vsT^^ ait^tf?,

four reeds;

^^Tf%

^fsT,

a hair.
v5-5rf^,

C^5T-5t^,

a piece;

^iiU^T-i^?"

siife,

piece of

ground; <Pm^
reeds;

>^Cv5T^5, a piece of cloth.

C^T<^1 or^tl, a bundle; c^'{z^^^] ^^,

^rfic

two bundles of
5it%,

^sr^l,

a bundle of wood;
handfuls of
rice.

a handful

FT^^l f%f^ ^tl, three

c^T^l

or c^Tf^, a drop, ^Tf^ n^fW a drop of water;

little

^tta
^T^5

4C^t^1, a

milk.

C'TT'^I,

a heap, a mass; c^^ ^CTWI, a mass of foam;

^C^rmi, a bundle of cloth.

C?n^l
faloes.

FK^^, several ;

5i^ c^i^l

Fia^, several buf-

Reduplications.

The Asamese
same

are fond of repeat-

ing a word with some slight variation, to represent

several things of the
>5T^=T,

sort, as
;

n^T

rice,

ft^pt

rice

and other eatables

The

following are specimens of the

^^^ common

j^;i, dogs, &c.

dialect.

3rtF^,

a plate

^tR

Z^^, plates and dishes

eatables

^1^, cooked rice

^Nf^, a goat

^m F1,
^i^ifpi

^Nfir, goats and the like

II

t^^T^, a book
C-iTT^I,

f^^ft
f-art^l

fFt^,

books

eating

C^V^U eating and drinking

reports

c^I^U speaking
CFC^^, love
9tF,

^^1 ^f,

CR^25;1 CRiff%
?tF ^^fsT,

mutual affection

a tree

woods

Tt^, greens
5fTF, fish
ff^'^T,

Tl^ n^, greens and vegetables

aT5 ^1^, fishes, &c.
'>]^i{

thunder

^ifiT,

roarings

<^|f1, pice
<P?n

^t^\ ^f^l? pice and small coins

a word a hand

^^^
25;!^

a?t;T,

conversation

^t!^,
?j^,

^T^,

hands and feet

money

5f^ ^T^r,

money
plantains, &c.
in

^?T, plantain

^e^

F^l,

Sometimes the words are unlike

lar in signification, as
v\^]^

sound, but simi-

boys

Tt5rf^,

calves

5T^1

^it^ifi:,

children

^T^? cloth
?T,

^Tfar,
<^Tar,

rags

^T'^^ ^tf^i clothing

i^9\
<?fTiT,

water

drinking

luncheon

^tfil,

sand

Hf, ashes
5;^!^, door

^Tt% ^Tf an atom

^?, house

n^ Y'^f^j

habitations

A
is

more elegant manner of expressing the same idea

after the principal object
i.

by using the term ^tf^ ^f^,

designated, as ^^\5C^ ^tf^^fl^^T^t^^,

tains, &c.
^^T,

e.

the Dioun^5cT

went under; or

^%i^ wtf^i ^ft T^c^^l

commencing wHh the mountains, every thing went down. Sometimes the verb is omitted, as 5t5

^tR

^l^T^c^T? 5($

^T, the trees

and

every thing

were destroyed.

12

Gender
words.

in

Asamese

is

usually denoted by different

is

Sometimes the distinction

markedby a

diffe-

rence of termination, the feminine usually ending in ^.

Masculine.
^:^1 roja,

Feminine.
^TfSr rani,

a king

a queen

C#rsR kuonr, a prince

3fTfsi

^^f%

kubnri, a princess

swami, a husband
poi, a

nBT^I bharja, a wife

^f^ ortt

husband

t^f^ ghoini, a wife

f^C^T^I tiruta, a

^f^^ munih, a man

^^>T puruh, a man
^sr jon, a
sr^l

f%r^

tiri,

woman woman
female

male person

;^f^ joni, a

mota, a male
bura, an old
I6ra a

attf% maiki, a female

-^
5=1^1

man

^fs[ buri,

an old a

woman
girl

boy

C5Titfsi suali,
c^ff^

C^i^ deu, a

god
god

debi, a goddess

Citt^T^ guhain, a

C^TT^Tl^ guhani, a
^t^fi( barauni,

goddess

^m^
^?tl
<ri%t
(It

bamun, a Brahman

Brahmaness

C^TS duro, a
noga, a
bondi, a

Doom
Naga
man servant

vssif^dumuni,
5TTf^f^nagi[ii,

Doom woman
Naga woman
maid servant

c^^
^rf^,

benti, a

nod, a river

^^ nbi, a female river

In speaking of their relatives, the Asamese use four

different terms;
^Tc*f?

thus c^T*tT^ bupai,

is

7ny father

baper, your father ^ inferior; ^T^l bapa, yoiir

;

father^ respectful
following
all

;?lc^iP

bapek, his father.

it

The

table comprehends,

is

believed, nearly
use.

the terms of this kind in

common

13

My

Your

His

C^T^lt

53rtc*^^

^tc<^^

father

^T^
^^1

aT5

srt^

mother

^^15

<P^t^

grand father

^fl

^tt

^f^ ^t^

^f^ ^T^

grand mother

^TC^I ^^] ^TC^l <F^Tl ^tr^l

^^t^
^fi[

great grand father

^T^^l |fc ^tc^l

^fi[

^IC^I
5iT^

great
ther

grand mo-

^Tt
f^l

^T5

^r5

<^c^^

son

f^

f^>fl^

fij4<P

daughter

^tl%

^Tf%45

5(Tf%4^

grand son

5llff^

5rTf^fsr>^^

^Tf^fJT^^

grand daughter

5TTf%f5r?l

^U ^tf%

<^f% 5rTf%i!^ ^f^ J^tf%f5(^^ great

grand son

^fl^T^f5(<^^?rTf%1^4:|^fl[^if%f%4^ great grand

^^ 5(tf%f^?l

daughter

17

There are no prepositions

is

in

Asamese
as

their place

supplied by nouns in the locative and ablative

;

cases, following the genitive

^T^^^ ^^^, with

the men, literally, in

lowing are
this

company of the men. The folsome of the most common nouns used in

way.

^t\^ fronts locative case of *tJ, other,

^yfC^,

with^ ablative of ^r5;x5, union, ^tf^C, in union

t^zis??tst

with

by contraction
with
;

1>t^,

loc.

of

coinpany

abl. ^icM".

rc^,
<^TCF,

with

ablative of jt^, connection,

company.
loc.

after f2Lh\. of ^tW, the after part;

abl.

^t^^.

^tc^, before;

of ^]^, the front;

loc. ^t?t^.

^Wl^ and '^<^c^, above;

^^^^ and ^C2^,
fsffac^
6e/oztJ
;

from ^^5, the upper part.

^e^,

from

the lower part.

and ^tir^ /or, from

^y means

f;(fa^

and ^T5^, cause*,

also c^^c^, because, from c^n5 or

C^fT^T^T^j
of,

c^^^, cause,

emphatic locative of "^^t^,

a door, a way.
\^^\t.',

by,

by the hand

of,

emphatic form of the

participial derivative

^^^1, from ^i^, a hand.

loc.

^TT^, ^t^^^, beside,

of ^T^ or

^TTi:,

border.

C^T3^^, beside, loc. of c^t>t, side.

^T?<5, by, on the bank, from ^\-^,

a bank,

side.

G^?^, by, near, from ^^^, near, nearness.

srt^^ and ^\m, among, amidst, from sit^ the middle.

<ttftc^

and ^tc^, without, besides, from ^if^ and

?t^, the outside.

f%5?^^, f%^C5, within, from f%N5?, the ^wwe/-

^r^

is
5Tfi[^3

^tCT, aroundt from FTf%^ ^t??, /owr ^zW^^.

5Tf5a C^TC^, around, from Frfi<3 C'^K,

/owr

c/ircc-

The simple form of

by t^z^
verb f^
di,

the ablative

is

usually followed

hoite, as siT^c^ ^^:^,

wzVA wew; or by the

ff,

as ^tr^

fir,

bt/

the road^ atc^

^y the

midst, through.

Pronouns, and nouns signifying per-

sons, are seldom used in the ablative except with t^z^.

They
f^

are sometimes, however, followed by f^, as scg

?fc=f,

unless he goes by me.

When
;^T5i,

mere accompaniment

is

denoted, ^tc^

fol-

lows the simple form of the ablative, as ^fa^ t^l^

/ will go with you.

the instrument by which an action
is

When
formed
is

per-

followed by ^^r^, the ablative must be in

?JT 5pf?C5,

the emphatic form; as \\usi^ t^l^

he works

with his hands.

tive

When

used without

t^ii5, the abla-

may be
9f5T,

in either

the simple or emphatic form;

as ^^l^i

he went by boat, or

^KM^

?T^,

he went

with a boat.

When
literally,

a person

is

addressed, the locative case

is

generally used, as at^^;^ t^i^, he speaks to the man,

at the man; but

say,
it

if

the

noun be followed by the

in

verb

^f?T, to

must be put

the accusative, as

at^^^

l^r^tc^,

he

tells the

man.

PRONOUNS.
First Perso7ial Pronoun^

a^

luoi,

/.

SINGULAR.
Simple Form.

Emphatic.
SIC?

Norn.

u^
C5ft^

inoi

moie

Gen.
Dat.

mur
maloi
ragk

C^ic?
c^il^s^c^

mure
muloike

mine
to or for

C^itv\

me
me

Ace.

C^TT^
C5iT^

c^U^
csTTC^

muke
mute

me
at, in

Loc.
Abl.

mut
moie

or on

sc?

mure csrtc^ PLURAL.

Emphatic.

by or with me

Simple Form.

Nora. ^ifsT

ami

^Tfsi4
is5T5iTC5

amie

we
ours
to us

Gen.
Dat.

vsiT^T^

amar

amare
amaloike

^T5ri??i

amaloi ^I5il^ic^

Ace.
Loc.
Abl.

^Tat^

amak
amat
amie

^TsiTC^

amake
amate

us
in us

wmT^
vsnfa^

^TatC^

^T^K^

amare

with us
toi, thou.

Second Personal Pronoun inferior, ^^

2a
PLURAL.
Simple Form.

Emphatic.

Norn, ^t;^

tohont

^Xz^

tohonte

you
yours

Gen. ^t;^i tohontor ^t^BC^

Bat.
^"I:^^?^ tohontoloi

tohontore

^"t^^sic^ tohontoloike to

you

Ace.

^^^^

tohontok

\5^^:^
^t:^c^
^^C^r?:

tohontoke
tohontote

you
in

Loc. ^"t^^ tohontot

Abl.
^"t:cij

you

tohonte

tohontere

with you

Second Personal Pronoun respectful,

SINGULAR.
Simple Form.

^fii tumi, thou.

Emphatic.
^fsj^

Nom.
Gen.
Dat.

^fsT
c^tstic
Cl5t5it^21

tumi

tumie

thou
thine

tumar
tumaloi

c^Tatc^
c^t^it^^ic^
ci5T5iTUJp

tumare

tumaloike to thee

Ace.

c^T^T^ tumak
c^t^T^
^fsiii

tumake
tumate

thee
in thee

Loc.
Abl.

tumat
tumie

c^TsiTC^

c^iatc^

tumare

with thee

PLURAL.
Simple Form.

Emphatic.
CilCVl^TtC^
C5lCJ<l*II*C^

N.
(j-

(TSlt^t^lT^

tumnlak
tumulakor

tnmulako
tumnlakore

ye
yours
to

CTtOrTffn^^

D. CSlWt^^^si tnraulakoloi (r5tC>rt?Tt^5TC^ tumulakoloikc A. C5tC?rtrT?PP

L..

you

tumulakok CSTOltSTT^^
tuinulakot
c4l(.Hl41l<JC4

tiimulakoke

you
iu

CStOir^TT^^

tumulakotc

you

A. csrc^t^rrc^

tumulake

C5tC5(l4ll(.<VU

tnmnlakcrc with you

21

Third Personal Pronoun demonstrative,

t*

i,

this

many

this

woman,

this placet

t^^^s

thing.

SINGULAR.
Simple Form.

Emphatic

Nora.

^
^?t5
t^rtt^T

^fior4C?eye
f^TC5
^?ritic^

he, this

Gen.
Dat.

iar
ialoi

iare

of this

ialoike to this

Ace.
Loc.
Abl.

^^rt^

iak
iat
ie

^!rtc^

iake
iate

this

^5T^

^?rTc^

at this, here

^4

^5tC5
ei, is

iare

with or by this

As

an adjective, ^^

often used instead of

i.

PLURAL INFERIOR.
Simple.

Emphatic.

Nora.

^"I:\5

ihont

^"tc^

ihonte

they, these

Gen. ^"1:^^
Dat.

ihontor

f^^C^

ihontore

of these

^|:^tl ihontoloi ^t:t1C^ ihontoloike to these

Ace. ti;^^ ihontok t^^C^

Log. f "I;^^ ihontot ^^^c^ Abl. ^tc^ ihonte ^tc^C5

ihontoke
ihontote ihontere

these
in these

with these

Or tz^U
these, &c.

ibur,

tc^K^

ibure,

these, they, 8tc.

Plural respectful, tfn^]^

Third Personal Pronoun

ibilak,

tf^^TC^ ibilake,

f^r hi,

this

man^

this

wo-

man,
Simple Form.

this thing, this place.

SINGULAR.
Emphatic.
fJT4,

Nora.

^
>5t5

hi
tar

c^c? heye
tare

he, or
his,

it

Gen.
Dat.

>5TC5

of that

^tt^T taloi

^Xtm^

taloike to him, to that

22
Ace.
Loc.
Abl.
>5T^ tak

^tc^
^Tt^
^tc^

take
tate

him, that
iu

^T^
f^ii

tat

him or

it,

there

hie

tare

with him, therewith

As an
of
f9\

adjective, c^t hei,

is

comonly used instead

hi.

PLURAL INFERIOR.
Simple.

Emphatic.

N. f^t^

hihont

f^%i^
f^'|;^R
fJT'l;ti:^

hihonte
hihontore

they
theirs

G. f^rt^? hihontor
D. fift^^si hihontoloi

hihontoloike to them

A.
L,

^^^^ f^^^

hihontok
hihontot

fif^^u^
f^T"!;^?:^

hihontoke
hihontote

them
in

them

A. fji%^ hihonte

f^tc^f?

hihontere

with them

Plural respectfulf
lake, they,

fyff^^it^ hibilak, f^f^^iTC^ hibi-

&c.

CTtc^T^ and C'Ttf^'TT^ have the same sense, but

are

more

strictly

demonstrative.

Third Personal Pronoun femininey ^V^

Simple.

tai,

she.

Emphatic.
nSTC?

Nom. ^tt
Gen.
Dat.

tai

taie

she
hers

^Tf?
^Ttt?f

tair

^l^c?

taire

tailoi vsTf tlC^

tailoike to or for her

Ace.
Loc.
Abl.

\5t^^

taik
tait

nJT^C^
NSltc^

taike
taite

her
in or at her

^T^^
^tc^

taie

95TtW
taihont,

taire
<

with her
taihonte, they, &c.

Plural,

^\Xt^

^t^%^

23
Third Personal Pronoun honorific ^ ^m eun, he
this
,she^

man

or

woman.

SINGULAR.
Simple Form.

Emphatic.
si:^

Nom.
Gen.
Dat.

vflvs

eun
ennr
eunloi

eune
eunre

he or she
his

ifl^<i

vfl^R

^^t^

i^t^C^ eunloike
^c^ ^C^
-^CiTC?

to or for

him

Ace.

^^^
4c3[

eunk
eune

eunke
eunte

him
in or to

Loc.
Abl.

5^^ eunt

him

eunere

with him

Pluraly
TA2>c?

vfl^sf^^lT^

eunbilak, &c.
honorific, c^^Q teun, he^

Personal Pronoun
she, that
Simple Form.

man

or

woman.
he
his

Emphatic.

Nom. c%^
Gen. c^^j
Dat.

teun
teunr

cfr?

teune
teunre

c^^c^

c%^tT teunloi c^^^^ic^ teunloike to or for him

Ace.
Loc.
Abl.

c%<3^ teunk

c^'^C^

teunke
teunte

him
in or to

c^^^
c^z^

teunt

ct^C^
c^c?r5

him

teune

teunere

with him

Plural, c^^f^?!^ teunbilak, &c.

The Relative Pronoun f^ ji, who, which,

declined
Simple.

is

thus

Emphatic.
c'SiZ'^

Nom. f^
Gen.
Dat.
5Ft^

ji

je} e

who, which

jar

^tC5

jare

whose
to

^T^cT jaloi ^it^ic^ jaloike

NSt<p

Ace.
Loc.
Abl.

jak
jat

^TC^
^tc^

jake
jate

whom whom
whom, where

^1^

in

c^c? jeye

^u?

jare

with

whom, whereby

24
Otherwise, in the neuter gender only:

Nom. f9
Gen.
Dat.
Agc.

ji

C^C5
f^$;c5

jeye
jihore

which
of which
to which

fw\^
f^x^^

jihor
jiholoi

fw^^<Pic^ jiholoike

Loc. Abl.

f^^ f^^^
fitC^

jihok
jihot

f^^c^
f^^C^
Tm^ZJ.

jihoke
jihote

which
in

which

jihe

jihere

with which

Plural, f^f^^cTt^ jibilak, f^c^T^ jibur, &c.

The Interrogative
clined
:

c^Tr

kun,

who?

is

thus de-

Emphatic.

C^U^,

kune
kare
kaloike

who?
whose ?

^tR
^t^lC^
7^\l^

kake
kate kare

^Tc^
^\Z^

whom? in whom ? in whom? with whom?

to

25
C^K^] kunu, some, some one, any one,
is

often used

with a negative particle to signify nobody; as c^TC^i

at^, tiiere
is

wo one;

C'PTC^-3

c^

mM^^no one underc^C^f^,

stands.
^^TK,

In the plural

we have
sense.

c^IC^l c^TC^l, c^Tr^l-

c^TciTTf^?iT<p.

C5fi^(:?rw

c^-^J^sii^,

are

also used in the

fJPTC^Ul,
is

same

somebody, compounded of c^R, ^ and

^1,

thus declined

Norn.

c^TCJrt^T?

somebody
of somebody
to

^R^T^iR
^tCiT^lt^?:^

somebody
somebody

^U^pRTC^
<PlC^T^Tc^

somebody
at

^;c^T?nc^

with somebody
negative form,

C^Q, any body,

is

used only

in the

and

is

thus declined:

26
Simple.

Emphatic.
^-i^

Gen.
Dat.

^^
^t^

kor
koloi

kore

from whence?

^t^z-i^
^^si

koloike whither?

Log.

^u
^j
^tT\

kot

kota

where?

In like manner decline the relative

w^

jor,

whence.

Gen.
Dat.

jor
joloi

^?fi

jore
joloike
jote
tor, thence.

whence
whither
.

^Nc^
^^5

Loc.

jot

where

Also the correlative ^5

Gen.
Dat.

^f
v5^?T

tor
toloi

%m
^ti:^

tore

from thence
thither

toloike
tote

Loc.
In
all

s5^

tot

^c^

there

the above examples the

has the long sound.

Similar to these forms are

<P(:^T^1,
i

^r^T^T^, some-

where, and ^tT^T?2ii to some 'place

^v\

%tv\^

here

and

there.

f^^Tir

kiman,^ow much? howmany? with

the relaf^sri^r

tive fifatiT jiman,

as much, and the correlatives

timan, fjrsR himan, c^^^atiT iieiman, so

clined in the ordinary manner.

much, are deare used either

They

substantively or as adjectives.

C^X kei, how many? is followed by a generic noun or affix, as c^f ^1 si^^;, how many men?
C^?^l^f keibatau, denotes several.
C^C<I5 ketek, or 7^% koto,

or ;5 joto,

how many? cwc^^ jetek, as many] c^u^ tetek, or ^ toto, so

many ;
affix

are either used as adjectives, or take the plural

and are declined as ordinary nouns.

27
f^csr kene,

how ?

csiUf.

jene, as^

and c^i^

tene, such,

are used as adjectives.

"5:151^

arauk, such

a?i^

one; ^]^'^

vStsr^,

amuk

ta-

muk, such and such persons.

f
IT?:

f*r, i

hi, this
;

and

that^

become
hi,

in the genitive

^Ui ar tar Ace. ? fjf, i The demonstrative pronouns,

them;

or

^T^

^T^, ak tak.

as well as nouns, take as fc^

ite,

the generic affix after

?c^l itu,

Atz^\ eitu, this one;

heitu,

fm^
and

hite,

fm^
man;

hitu, c'Tl'C^I

that

one',

cjpt^c^i

kuntu, ivhich onel

^^CJT
fT

^Ml^i

ijone hijone, this

that

^5ffi{

^R,

ijoni hijoni, this

^jpeT,

and

that

woman
is

hokol, all,

thus declined

28
^r^lf
a//, like jt^c'11,

admits the plural form; as ^T'

^Ttr^^^T^, ^t'^I^C^T^, ^l^Ttf&t^.

The Asamese do
cond person
;

not consider

it

respectful, in ad-

dressing a superior, to

use the pronoun in the se-

they do not venture to speak to him,

but only of him, and therefore use either a noun, or

the terra
latter
wT^^jfsr, self.

must

also be be in the third person.

The verb connected with the Thus a

will not use the

native addressing a

European

terms
the

^fa

f^^l, give thoUy but

it,

must say, 5t^TC?

fr^,

f^t?,

Saheb will give

if the

or ^T^fsT
used,

thi/self will give it;

in the third perit.

imperative
or

is

it will

be

son,

^T2?;ic^

^T^f^ f^^^

let

the Saheb give

Wl<l^,
is

thyself,

myself himself,

herself, one's self,

thus declined:
Emphatic.

^T^f^4
WT^^IJTTC^

thyself

of thyself
to or for thyself

^tc^R.^s^C^
^.C*^l^Tc^
^T?:1"i^ic^

thyself
in or at thyself

^Tc*^T^TC^

by or with thyself

Plural, ^K^tstr<i511^, ^iC^T^l ^<P^, &c.

The
As an
his
as

reduplicated form,

itC*^T^l

^T^^fJT,

is

used

where the action spoken of terminates

adjective,
\

in one's self

^n*tR

apun,

is

used;

anc*^T^ ^^,

own house if repeated, it ^R^iT iTC*niT ^5, their own

indicates the plurah

houses.

ADJECTIVES.
Adjectives in Asamese have no degrees of comparison.

As

a substitute, the verb

affix

^^ koi or ^fk

kori, is

applied as an

to the locative
is

case of the object

with which a comparison

follows in
its

made, and the adjective

usual form; as HT^j^^t^ v51^^, speaking

to or in reference to

a man,

it

is

large-,
it is

i.

e. it is

larger than a man.

^T^tf^t^ ^^,
is
i.

the smallest

of all. Sometimes another form ?r?, amongst the two he is large

;

used, \tiA\ siT^^

e.

he

is

the greatis

er

of the two)
all\
i.

amongst

f[7mM^ 5rt^ I^, he e. he is the worst of all.

wicked

A few adjectives have different forms

culine

for the

mas-

and feminine genders; as

Feminine.

Masculine.

1?1

30
country
rustic

age
jungle

aged
wild

a house
disease

tame
diseased
miserable

misery
sin

wicked
cloudy

a cloud

anger
mirth

angry

merry
bold
tailed

courage
a
tail

money wisdom
learning

rich

wise
learned

power

powerful

Adjectives are also formed from other adjectives by

a change of termination

as

few

^?TfW?1
T^f^;?!
JTsf^^l

scanty
plentiful

many
even
long
tender

alike

f^^f%?ri
^sifa^^H

lengthy

tender

Most

adjectives are also used as nouns, and de>tJ,

clined as such; thus

true, as a

noun
^-tf,

signifies

truth; c^t^tf, sweet,

height
;

n.

sweetness;

high, n.

Jtf^J,

poor^

n.

povertij, or a

sinful, n.

a sinner;

^Ici?rT^

poor ma?i; *^Tf^ mani/, n. the many.

VERBS.
The moods of Asamese verbs
Participles and Gerunds.

are four

the Infini-

tive, Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive; besides

The

infinitive is the radical form,

used

in

an

unli-

mited manner, and usually depending for

its

person

and tense on the verb which follows

It

it,

as

-^^fk

kori, do.

does not correspond to the

is it

infinitive in

English;

nor
it

to be

confounded with the participle^ since

partakes of the nature neither of a noun or an

It

adjective.

may be

translated either by the present

participle, or the simple verb, followed

by the con-

junction and; as
it;

fr "rifsi^iTf

atf^c'i,
it.

he shooting killed
latter

or,

he shot

and

killed

The

form gives

the

more exact
other

sense.
to those of the

The

moods nearly correspond

in
is

same names
forms; one

English.

The

subjunctive has two

distinguished by the use of the conjunc-

tion ^r*i,2/, as in English; the other by the affix ctc^sT

henten, as ^fa ^iR^Tctc^sr

511-

/pf^c^ictc^^, If

you

had come, I should have done

ctc^ifj

it.

The

repetition of
isfsf

however,

is

inelegant;

it is

better to insert

in the first

member of

the sentence, or use the future

thus, ^fsi

conjunctive participle;

^f^

^Tfi?;^^!,

or ^f

The sense of the English infinitive is expressed in Asamese by gerunds, in the genitive, dative and
accusative cases;
thus,

^t^ ^fi[^^ 0{Ul^y

saw him

32
do
it;

^r<c?^ff ^r^c^, he

is

begiuing to do

it;

^f^^

4{r*CF, he wishes to

do

it.

The primary

tenses are three, Present^

^ci:1,

I do't

Perfect^ ^ficeil, / have done\ Future, ^ffsr, I will do.

To

these are added two

compound

tenses,

formed by

combining the verb with ^UFl and

^lfRe=f|, the pre*rnrfl,

sent and perfect tenses of the defective verb

be.

to

By the

help of these

we have

the

Present dejimtey
^f^ffCSTi,

^t%c#l,

lam
or

doing; and the Pluperfect y

had done,

was

doing.

The verb

is

varied in the second person, according

is in
is

as the nominative

the inferior or respectful style;

but no distinction

ordinarily

made

in the

form of the

verb to denote the singular or plural number.

necessary to mark this subjoined to the plural.
distinction, the affix

When
"t^
is

CONJUGATION

of the Defective Verb ^UFl-

Infinitive wanting.

Indicative Present.

SINGULAR.
1.

51^

^UFl

moi asun
toi

am

2.

^f ^iF
^fsi ^;^l
fjT

aso

thou art thou art

be, she, or
it is

2.
3.

tumi asa
hi ase

^K5

PLURAL.
1.

^tfsr vSfUFl

ami asun
tohont aso

we

are

2. 2.
3.

^t^^I5
ctC5it8iT^ ^tt!

ye are ye are
they are

tumnlak asa
hihont aso

fjft^ iiCF

33

34
3.

In the third conjugation the vo\ve!s remain unfinal ^,

;

changed, except the

as (Yif^
raeli, ca^rl
i

which

is

changed

to ^1,

mela

or, if the

word be a mon-

osyllable, the
di,
f*i?rl

is

retained, together with the a, as f^

dia.

Words

having

o in the penult, as

^^

k6ri, ^^1

kora, are regarded as belonging to the third conjugation, the first syllable

remaining unchanged in writing;

is

yet the pronunciation

jugation, the vowel

varied as in the second

con-

o being long in the infinitive,

and short

in the participle.

FIRST CONJUGATION.
Conjugation of the Neuter Verb t^, c^t^l, to
be.

INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present tense^ ^^, I
si^

a?n, (habitually),

or W\f^

't'Q

moi or ami houn

toi

>5f or ss^^

or tohont ho

^fa or c^K^^^]7p C^T^I

f'Tj

tumi or tumnlak hna

hi,

f>f^ or f>Tf^lT^ ^l'

hihont or hibilak hoi

Present

definite, ?5;CF1,

a?n, (now),

sf or
>5t^

^TfJT t^zf]

moi or ami h6isun

toi

or
or

^\^

t^i^

or tohont h6iso

'^fa
fT

c^lcsiT^lt^

^51

tumi or tumulak hoisa

hi

or f^i;^ ^^c^

or hihont hoise

35
Perfect^ \lA\y I was, or //ave been.
srf or

wTfa

\l.i\\

moi or ami holun

toi

^X
^fsr
f>r

or =5^ \X^

or toliont h6li

or c^5U5nlT^

5;^1

tumi or tumulak hola

hi or hihont hoi

or f*r^ ^<^

Pluperfect, 't\^l^\^ Iivas^ or

had been.
hoisili

^? or ^ifa t^flcsTl ^? or ^"l^s t^f^f*^

H^fsi
f>r

moi or ami hoisilun

toi

or tohont

or

c^TrsrielT^ ?^f^ll

tumi or tumulak hoisila

hi

or fyft^ ^^f^l

or hihont

h6isil

Future, \^, 1 shall be.

at or

^tfsr

^^sr

nioi
toi

or ami

hom

^? or ^^
^fa or
f^ or t^\%

^f^

or tohont hobi

c^TcsiTlT^ ^^1

tumi or tumulak hoba

hi or hihont

\^

hdbo

IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present, ^,

Be

thou.

^\ or ^
^fsi
f?r

5;

toi

or tohont ho

or CvSTcatm^ C^t^l

tumi or tumulak hua

hi
is

or fJT^ ^^S^

or hihont houk
the

The Future Imperative

cative, as

same with the Indithis.

^^ ^
is

\fk, be noti
first

^^T^ ^f^f?, do

There

no

person in the imperative; for this

is

the indicative

is

used, and
it^

generally followed by
'liT^I

^^

*>

as ^ri^l^^,

Let us do

or

^rft^^, Come,
fflf?rl

let

us do

it.

For the

singular, use the term

t^?rl,

with the

gerund; cat^ <Pi5^

Let me do

it.

36

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present^ sf ^ifk ^^cf-c^^, 1 should
be.

a^ or

^tfii "^^C^C^JT

moi or ami hounlienten

toi

^^
'^fsi
f*T

or Ngi;^ ^"l;c^ar

or tohont hohenteu

or f tcai<lT^ C^TiilTC^C^^ tumi or tunialak huaheuten

^5?fC^C^sr

or f^r^^

hi

or hihont holhenten

Perfect^ 5i^ ^CTtC^N5ar, 1 should have been.

5if

or
or

rTfsi J5;C5ftC^CN5^

moi or ami hdlunhenten

toi

^X

^x^

jfi\l'i;i%^

or tohont hdlihenten

^fsi

or c^Ttstl?^!^ ^^iTc^c^sr tumi or tumulak holahenteii

f^ or

f^^^ ^'IC^C^^

hi

or hihont holhenten

37

38
Pluperfect, ??rf5CT\ 1

had gone.
goisili

^? or
n5?
^fVi

^,fii ^?tf5Ccfl

DQoi
toi

or ami gdisilun
or tohont

or n5^ ^fffff^ or
c^TCSitlT^
tiff^e^
t'tfFel1

tumi or tamulak gdisila

hi or hihont goisil

f^ or p^^^

Future^
"sif

^T5i,

it'i//

go.

or uif^ ^Ta or =5^^ ^if^ or c^tt^imtis T?1

inoi
toi

or ami jam

^5*
^fsr
fjT

or tohont jabi

tumi or tamulak jaba

hi

or f^^qs ^IT

or hihont jabo

IMPERATIVE MOOD. Present ^\, Go thou.

y

vgf
^^fsr
far

or

%\%

toi

or tohont ja

or c^Tcsl^lt^ C^T^l

tumi or turaulak jua

hi or hihont jauk
in the Indicative.

or

^\^ ^T^^
Future, as

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present^ ^I'Qr^^JT? I should go.
si^

or ^tfar ^r^c^c^^r

moi or ami jaunhenten

toi

v5^ or 15^5

^t?^^^^^
C^T^l-

or tohont jawohenten

^fa or

c^tC5it1[T^

tumi or tumulak juahenten

fff

or f^x^ v5fTtc^C^^

hi

or hihont jaihenten

Perfect, sfc^tc^c^^, I should have gone.

at or ^tfsi ^^^tc^cis^ ^t or >5^ ^f?lCCif5T

moi or ami g6lunhenten

toi

or tohont gdlihenten

^fa or c^tcaTTt<P^2ltc^C^^ tumi or tumulak golahenten

^ or fjT^^ ^siC^C^^

hi

or hihont golhenteii

39

PAR T rciPLES.
Conjunctive,

Present^
Perfect^

^t'QC^
'i\v\%
sfc^l

jaunte
golot

while going

having gone

Future,

g61e

on going

Substantive or Adjective.
Present^
Perfect^
Simple.

jaanta

going

going f gone
Emphatic.

Nona.

a going
of a going to a going

Gen.
Dat.

Ace.
Loc.

a going
on going

GERUND.
Gen.
Dat.

of going
to go,

for going

Ace.

going
sr,

To

express a negation the particles

f^, ^,

csr, C^rl,

are prefixed in the verb, as

^ ^, lam

not;

vj ^c;r,

he does not listen; f^ f^^, he will not give; the vowel joined with ^, corresponding with the first vowel
of the verb.
the prefix

When, however,
as c^ wTQ,

the

first

vowel
ivill

is

^1,

is c^,

J do not or

not go.

If the verb begins with a vowel, the letter ^ n merely,

is

incorporated with the verb;

as ^eTT^ nlai, to ap-

pear, cJ(T^tf nulai, not to appear.

is

The

following

a synopsis of the verb

t^ with

the negative prefix.

40

41
Conjugation of the Active Verb ^t^,
c<^t^1, to get>

INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present^ ^tT^, I get.

a^ or ^tfa Tf^
nsI'

moi or ami paun

toi

or ^c^

<^1

or tohonte pa

^fa or
f*T

c^TCsiT^ITC^ C^T^ll

tumi or tamulake pua

hi

or f^^C^ ^T?"

or hihonte pai

Present

definite, ^tTf cf l,

am

getting^ or ^t;g

^o//ew.

^ or ^Tfa
^sf or

**fTf CF1

moi or ami paisgn

toi

^^c

'1'Tf 5

or tohonte paiso

^fa or

cTC5iT3l1r^ ^^Tl'Fl

tumi or tumulake paisa

hi

f^ or fJT^C^ ntc^

or hihonte paise
gotten.

Perfect, ^\l^\i
Tat

I have
nioi
toi

or

^Tfsr ^TCsTl

or ami paluQ
pali

Ngf or ^x^% *fTfel ^fa or f^TratTTc^

fjT

or tohonte

^t11

tumi or tumulake pala

hi or hihonte pale

or f^^c^ ^TC^

Pluperfect, nt^f^Ccfl, 1

had gotten.
paisili

at or ^Tfa nttf5CTi v5f or ^^:% tTf t^f^

Ni[fa
f*f

moi or ami paisilun

toi

or tohonte

or c^lcata^tr^ ^T^f^ell tumi or tumulake paisila

or

^ii^

'^if 1%T

hi or hihonte paisil
5^Ta,

Future,

1 shall

get.

at or ^tfa
\5f

^^ta
*^Tt%

moi or ami pam

toi

or ^^Cn5

or tohonte pabi

>jfa or fvSKatelTc^ 'tt^l

fir

tumi or tumulake paba

hi or hihonte

or f^^c^ *^TT

pabo

42

IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present, ^\, Get thou.

^? or
^f;i
f*f

%xi-% ^\
Cv5TC5TT=rTr^

toi

or tolionte pa

or

C^l^l

tnmi or tumulake pua

hi or hihonte

or f>i^c^

^T^^
Future^ ^ifc

pauk

You
toi

shall get.

^? or ^^c^
^^fa

<^Tf^

or tolionte pahi

or c^\Ui\v\]i^ <^t?l

tumi or tumulake paba

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, nKsC^^^, I should get.
sr^

^^

or wTfa ni^c^c^sr or ^%^ ^^TCTC^iT

c<^"T^T-

nioi
toi

or ami paunhenten

or tohonte pahenten
ten

^fa or c^TcaT^TC^
fr

tumi or tumulake puahenhi or hihonte paihenten

c\l%'if

or

fJ!i;c^ ^itc'^C^*''

Perfect *^Tc^R%^^, I should have gotten.

srf
^5l'

or

^sTf^i *1T?:TKt:c^'^

raoi
toi

or ami palunhenten
or tohonte palihenten
ten

or is^Z^ ^]f^lX(.^^ >5f5r or c^Uai^lTC:^ <^I1ctc^iT

fJT

tumi or tumulake palahen-

or ^Xi'<5 -^TCsiftc^^

hi or hihonte palehenten

PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.
Prese?itf
1T<2C
*l"l^3

paunte
palot
pale

ivhile

getting

Perfect,

having gotten
oy;

Future,

'^K^

fj^tli"9

Sid)stantive or Adjective.

Present,

*TT^^1
cnT^il

paunta

getting
'

Perfect,

pua

a getting, gotten

43
Declensio7i o/c^I^1.
Emphatic.

GERUND.

This verb

is

used after the gerund in z bo, of the

accusative case, in the sense of ought, is proper^ &c.

as f^ ^f^^ ^]t, if is
C*^T3l,

proper
to

for

him to do
sjfn

it;

^fk^

c^l

^ou ought not

do
it.

it;

e^lto

*tT^, eV z*

probable the

ball has hit

44
Present
VkX
definite^ c^t^Ttc^l,

cifn

causing to ge t.

or ^Tfa c^fT^T^fFI

moi or ami puaisuu

toi

v5^ or ^"tc^
s^fir

cm^t^F

or tolionte puaiso

or c^T:5iT?iTC^C^I^tt5l tumi or tumulake puaisa

hi or hihonte puaise

f^ or fJTTC^ C*fT^T?r5

Perfect, c**fT^tC^, I have caused to get.

s^ or
n5^ or

^Tfsi C^T^TC^1

moi or ami pualun

toi

%^i^

c<^t^TfT

or tohonte puali

^fa or cTcaT^TC<P c^mt^l tumi or tumulake puala

^ or f*i^c^ C'tlwTCsi
5r?

hi or hihonte puale

Pluperfect^ C^^l^ll'f^t^i, I

had caused

to get.

or ^if^ CTT^TfrK^Tl

nioi
toi

or ami puaisilun
puaisili

>5^ or

^^c^

c*^TiTtf^f57

or tohonte

^fji or c^Tc^lt^lTC^

C^T^Tt- tumi or tumulake puaisila

hi or hihonte puaisile

fTf\

or fs\xi^ C^TWt^f^cel
Future^
c^tT^tsi,

1 will cause

to get.

st or ^? or
xsfsr

^fifsr c<1^t^T?r

moi or ami puam

toi

^^Cn5 C^l^Tf^

or tohonte puabi

or c^UaT^tC^p cnt^t^l tumi or tumulake puaba

f*r

or

^\v^

c^TsiT^
I

hi

or hihonte puabo

MPERATI VE MOOD.
C^T^til,

Perfect^
vSJ"

Cause

to get.

or ^^c^ c^\^\
c^tCSit^lTC^

toi

or tohonte pua

^fa or
f*T

C^^^l

tumi or tumulake pnua

hi

or f*T%^ C<^1^T^^

or hihonte puauk

Future^ c^T^lf^, as in the Indicative.

45

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, c^T^I^r^C^ir, I should cause to get.
srt'

or wtfsr

C'f IWT^C^^Sif

moi or ami puaunlienten

toi

vSl"

or ^x^% C^T^K%^^ ^fa or c^TC5rt^K^ c^l^iaiCX^^'^

or tohonte puahenten or

tunii

tumulake puuahen ten

fjT

or

^\z^

C'^l'^lfc^c^iT hi or hihonte puaihenteii

Perfect, c^T^UcTiC^CnSs^", I should have caused

to get.

a? or
^^fsr

^Tfsi C^T^TCf R^C^^

moi or ami pualunhenten

pualihenten

NSf or ^ifc^ C*1"T^Tf%C^C=r toi or tohonte

or c^TC5iTTTC^

(:*^Tn1i-

tumi or tumulake pualahenten

CXC^'ii
f*f

or f^r^c^

c*fTilclC^C5T hi

or hihonte pualehenten

PARXrciPLES.
Conjunctive.
Present., C^ttilQC^

paaunte
pualot

while causing to get

Perfect,

c^V^\v\%

having caused

to get

Future^

CTt^Tc^

puale

on causing to get

Substantive or Adjective.

Present,
Perfect,

c^t^T^^
c^^T^^I

puaunta

causing to get

puua

a causing

to get
to get

Gerund,

c^T^t^^

puabor

of causing

Analoscous to this verb are

FT^
;it^ ift^

sal

CFT^l
C^fail

sua

to look
to

bai
dai

baa

row

Cxl^l

dga

to reap

46

^ ^

^
CO

47

\^
19

Co

48

"s-

49

SECOND CONJUGATION.
Verbs of
this

conjugation form the perfect participle

for the final
vq,

by substituting ^1

f of the

infinitive,

and

changing the vowel ^l or

in

a preceding syllable, to

or ^.

Conjugation of the I^euter Verb ^tft, ^^1, to come.

INDICATIVE MOOD.
Presenty isiTdl, I come.
51^
'St'

or wtfsr ^tc^l

moi or ami ahun

toi

>

or

vg"!;^

^T^

or tohont aho

^fsi
fjT

or c^TcatlT^ ^T^l

tumi or tumulak aha

hi

or f^\% ^tC^

or hihont ahe

Present deUnite^ ^tftcFl, 1

am

coming^

or

have come.
51^

or ^Tf^ ^tf^cfl
or ^t;^ ^Tf^;^

moi or ami ahilun

toi

^^

or tohont ahiso

^fir or c^tCsrts^T^P ^Tfl;5l

fjT

tumi or tumulak ahisa

hi

or f^X"^ 'sjtfeF
Perfect^ ^tfeTl,

or hihont ahise
I

have come.

51^

or ^Tfsr

'siif^c^l

moi or ami ahilun

toi

^^ or ^^^ ^ff^f%
^fii

or tohont

ahili

or

f^tC5itelt^ '^tfl;11

tumi or tumulak ahila

hi or hihoQt ahil, or
ahile

Or or fhX^ ^\fk^^ or
^tf^C1

50
Pluperfect, ^if$;l^c^1, J ca?ney or

had come.

a^ or
^5t or
>5fsi
fir

wtfsr ^if^f^CsTl

moi or ami ahisilOn

toi

^X^

^if^f^f?!

or tohout

ahisili

or

c^TC5lTe^T>P

wtf^f^^^l tumi or

tumulak

ahisila

or 1%^^ ^Tf^f5T, or
^\\\\^V^

hi or hiliont ahisil or
ahibile
ivill

Future^ ^tR;^, 1
Vi%

come.
aliira

or

'sitfsr

^tf^^

moi or ami
toi

^^
^|;fa fjT

or ^t;^ ^Tf^t% or ciTC5iT5=TT^ WtR;^l

or tohont ahibi or tumulak aliiba

tuiiii

or

^\^

^lft^

hi or hiliont ahibo

IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present
J

^15",

Come
toi

thou.

^X
f*\

or wkj^ ^T^
c^TC5iTlt^
'tii^l

or tohont ab

^f^ or

tumi or tumulak anlia

hi

or f^%^ ^TC^I^

or hiliont ahuk
shall come.

Future, ^Ttxf^j

You
toi

^^ or ^\%
^fsi
fi\

^if^f^

or tohont ahibi

or c'^M^\c^\7^ ^tR^I
^^f\^^

tumi or tumulak ahiba

hi

or t^t^

or hihont ahibo

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, ^ic^ictc^^, 1 should come.
51^

or wtfsi

WR't:TC't:?:^^

moi or ami ahunhenteii

toi

>5f
^fsr

or

w\%

^T^C^C^iT

or tohont ahohenten

or c^tC^fiT^

^I^K^u^^ tumi or tumulak ahahenten

hi or hihont

\^ or fy\x^ ^tC^C^C^i^

ahehenten

51
Perfect, aiif^fcTiC^C^ir, I should have come.

a| or
vSf or

^ifsT i5iTf|;c^iTC^C^^

moi or ami ahilunhenten

toi

^t^

^if^fi^r^C^^

or tohont ahilihenten

^fsr or c^TCSTT^^T^ WTf^ll-

tumi or tumulak ahilahenten

hi or
hiliont ahilehenten

C^C^^T

f^ or fjT^^

^tfxdC^C^^

PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.

Present^
Perfect^

^TC5TC<5

almnte
ahilot

lohile

coming

^Tf^l^
^

having come

Future,

^Tf5:cT

ahile

on coming, if he comes

Substantive or Adjective.

Present^
Perfect.,

^TC^l^l,
^i;l

ahunta

comitig

oha

come, having come

Declension of the substantive participle, ^^i.

Simple.

Emphatic.

Norn.

52

8
<!

to ;g.

53
Conjugation of the Active Verb
^tfsr, ^^1, to bring.

INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present , wtc^l, 1 bring.
51^ or ^tfsr

^tC^
^t;Tl

^f or
^fsr
fif

^us '^\^
^\m
^ifsrCFl

moi or ami anun toi or tolionte ano

tumi or tumulake ana
hi or hihonte ane
^itI^cfi,

or c^\i^Xv\M^

or fif^c^

Presenty definite,
si^

am

bringing.

or WTfsr

nioi
toi

or ami anisun or tohonte aniso

v5^ or
^fsi
ff

%\v^ ^tf^5
cs\i'^\v\M7^ ^tf^^l

or

tumi or tumulake anisa

hi or hihonte anise

or 1?!%^ ^Tf^!:F
Perfect^
^Tfs[Cil)

I have brought.
moi or ami anilun
toi

Vl%

or ^Tf^

^ifiTCcfl

'Sf
^fsi
fir

or ^^c^

^Tfsrf^T

or tohonte

anili

or c^\(M\^M'^ '^\fk^\

tumi or tumulake anila

hi or hihonte anile

or

^\i^

^Tf^C^l

Pluperfect, ^Tfirf^c^l, 1 brought^ or

TA%

was

bringing.

or ^Tf^ ^Tf^f^Cll
or ^^c^ Wtf^f^f^

moi or ami anisilun

toi

^f
t*r

or tohonte

anisili

^fsr or c^tcat^ltc^ ^tf^f^Tl

tumi or tumulake
hi

anisila

or f^r^C^ ^Tf^fR^T

or hihonte

anisile

Future
51^

'sitf^ST,

1 will bring.

or
or

^tfsi 'aiTf^a

moi or ami anim

toi

^^

^x^^

lTf^f^

or tohonte anibi

^fa or

c^tC5it*TtC^ ^TpT^I

tumi or tumulake aniba

hi or hihonte anibo

f^ or pl^fc^ ^TpT^

54

IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present^ ^T^r, Br'mg thou.

%t or

^%^

^TiT

toi

or tohonte an

\fs[ or c^UsrmTr^ ^i^l

tumi or tumulake ana

hi or hihonte anok,

f^ or ff^'Xi^

WR^,

or

c'^^s

^I^iJt^

or teun anuk

Most

verbs have two forms in the third person imtlie

perative;

usual form ending" in ^Q^

uk

is

more

res-

pectful than that in

^^

ok.

Future, ^tf^f^.

Bring thou.
or tohonte anibi

%t

or ^^c^ ^ifili^

toi

^f$I or c^tC^t^TC5? ^ifi^^rl

tumi or tumulake aniba

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present, "^Mm^L^^y I should bring.
51^

or ^Tf?r ^TC^'U^'c^iT

moi or ami anunhenten

toi

^^
^^fsi

or ^"kl"^ ^t^utc<5^ or C^TCSmTC^ ^RTC^C^JT

or tohonte anohenten
ten

tumi or tumulake anahenhi

f^T

or f%^c^ ^ICiTCTC^ST

or hihonte anehenten

Perject^ ^tf^C^TR'tc^^, I should have brought.

sf
^fsi

or ^tfsr

^FfirCeTlC^CNSiT

nioi
toi

or ami anilunhenten

vgf or

^^c^ ^Tl^f%C^CiT
^ffil 511-

or tohonte anilihenten

or c^f C mtc 5J5

Cfx.%^

tumi or tumulake anilahenten

hi

fir

or f%^c^ ^Tl%c1t^C^^

or hihonte auilehenten

PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive,
'Present,
'iitc^tc^

anunte
anilot

while bringing

Perfect,

'S[\f^^^
iTfs[cq

having brought

Future,

anile

upon bringing

55
Substantive or Adjective.

Present^
Present,

^Tcsri^l
^i^l

anunta

hrirKjimj

ona

brought, a brinrjing
'^^\'

Declension of the substantive

56

t3

1
S<

5J

^
5^

It
<

to

O
(?

ft I?

Co

3
o

CO

57

58
Conjugation of the Verb
-^v\^ c^'.^^S to

say.

INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present,
CITC^1,

I say

nX or ^TfJT C^tril ^f or %\u^ iT\'^

^fa or
t^r

nioi
toi

or ami bulun

or tohonte bulo

ciJTrsiTelTc^ C^T11

tumi or tumulake bula

hi or hihonte bale

or

fJT"l;c^

C'^M'n

V resent
5if

definite., ^fe^cfl,

am

saying.

or ^Tfa ^1^CF1 or ^^c^ ^t%F

Cv5TcaT211C^ ^f^5l

nioi or
toi

ami bulisun

^^
f>T

or tohonte buliso

^fa or

tumi or tumulake bulisa

hi

or fJT^c^

^fs^CF

or hihonte bulise

Perfect,
51^

^fiiic^l,

said.

or ^Tfsr

^fi^c^l
^fiif^T

moi or ami bulilun

toi

^^
^fs(
f^T

or >5^c^

or tohonte bulile

or f^TcaTeHC^P

^f^11

tumi or tumulake bulila

hi

or (%^c^ ^f%C1

or hihonte bulile
^

Pluperfect, ^fific^i, I did say or

TXf

had

said.

or ^lf?l

^fsif^c^Tl

nioi
toi

or ami bulisilun or tohonte

bulisili

>5? or
^f^i or

^^c^

^fs^ftfir

c^M'^^^M^

^f^t^e^l

tumi or tumulake bulisila

hi or hihonte bulisile

f^ Of fjf^c^ ^t^flc1

Future^ ^'^^^ I shall say.

51^

or

^siTfsr

^fsi5r
^f^^fir

moi or ami bulim

toi

^^
^fsr

or ^x^^ or

or tohonte bulibi

c^stcsiTeT^U^ ^f^l^l

tumi or tumulake buliba

hi

f^ or

^\i^ ^f^^

or hihonte bulibo

)9

IMPERATIVE MOOD.
Present
t

C^T^

Sa?/ thou.

or ^l;c^ c^\^
C^t3=l1

tumi or tohonte bulo

^fa or C3TCaTlTC^

tumi or turaalakc bula

hi

f^ or fhx.C^ c?TC<lT^

or hihonte bulgk

Future

^f^if^,

Say

thou.

^X

or ^^c^ '^fk
c>5K5il2iTC^ ^f^^l

toi

or tohonte bulibi

^fa or

tumi or tumulake buliba

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Present,
SI?

f^TreTTctjNS^,

I should say.

or ^Tf^ C?TC=1ld:c^=r

moi or ami bulunhenten

toi

^f or

^%^

c^T^ctc^^

or tohonte bulohenten

tumi or tumulake bulahenten

fn or

f^%^

c^TCs^ctc^^

hi or hihonte bulehenten

Perfect, ^i^cfR^c^^,

I should have said.

or tohonte bulihhenten

^? or ^Tf5i^filCfiT^C^r ^? or ^^c^ ^felf^C^C^^

^fji

moi or ami bulilunhenten

toi

or c^TcaTeTlC^ f f^^e^l-

tumi or tumulake bulilahenten

hi

CX^%^
f*r

or ff^TUS ^f^lC^tc^C^JT

or hihonte bulilehenten

Norn.

61

(if
i

OS

62

_.

63

c i a u 3

0)

<

64

THIRD CONJUGATION.
In this conjugation the vowels undergo no change,

except in the last syllable.

Conjugation of the Neuter Verb

to

sj,fi^,

^51, to

remove^

go away.

INDICATIVE MOOD.
Present,
-itCFl,

1 retnove.

^\ or

^itfsr

'^li\

moi or ami gusun

toi
'ij^l

^f
^fsi
f*r

or

^\% ^^
f^rt:^

or tohont guso

or c^tC5it1T^

tumi or tunmlak gusa

hi

or

^5
definite^
"ijflCFI

or hihont guse

Present
51^

sjf^ci^l,

/ am removing.

or ^Tfsi or

moi or ami gusisun

toi

^^

vsi;^ '>t(^F

or tohont gusiso
^^ tumulak gusisa

^fir or c^StC^iTsiT^

U^^l

^"'"i

f^ or

f^T^

"""X^l^

hi
?ff^c^1,

or hihont ousise

Perfect,
SI?

I have removed.
moi or ami gusilun
toi

or ^ifa "itf^c^

>5?
^^fii

or

^x^

9ff^f^

or tohont gusili

or c^5tCTlt^ '^811

tumi or tumulak gusila

^^ ^^ hihont gusil

f*r

or f^i^^ "^r^^
Pluperfect,

'Jf f5f^cfl

J had removed.

?r^

or ^tfsi or

'iTf^f^c^l

moi or ami gusisilun

toi

>5^

^^^

^f^f^f%
sjf^fi^^l

or tohont gusisili

^fs or (.^M^V^X^
f*T

tumi or tumulak gusisila

hi

or {f\\^

'^fbT^?!

or hihont gusisil

65
Future,
?ff5sr,

/ will remove.
moi or ami gusitn
toi

af or

^tfsr

'Jrfpsr

^^

or

^t^

TTfpf^

or tohont gusibi or tumulak gusiba

^fa or

cK5iT2lT5p ?rf^^1

tuini

f% or f%'l; Tff^^

hi

or hihont gusibo

IMPER ATI VE MOOD.

Present^
9t5,

Remove
toi

thou.

^^
'^fji
f>r

or ^5^3

?f?

or tohont gus

or c^TCsrT^lt^
fjT^^S '>fC5T^

^1

tumi or tumulak gusa

hi or hihont

or

gusuk

Future^ ^i^fV,

Remove

thou.

^^

or

^^^

?f f^fl"

toi

or tohont gusibi

^fa or c^Kat^Tt^ ^f^5l

tumi or tumulak gusiba

SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD.
Prese?if, srcf tr^c^^r,

I should remove.

at or ^Tfa ^CFfr^^^

^t or
^fif

n5^5

?r5C"l:c^^

moi or ami gusunhenten toi or tohont gusohenten

tumi or tumulak gusahenten
hi

or c^tcatTT^ ^FTrl:-

C^^
f^r

or T^x^ TfCR^C^^
Perfect^
st'i^C"TTCi^CN5^,

or hihont gusehentea

I should have removed,

moi or ami gusilunhenten
toi

a^ or ^tfa ^flrftC^C^^

^t

0^

^t^

^ffffi^C^C^sr
?rf^11-

or tohont gusilihenten

^fa or

c^IcaT^^T^

tumi or tumulak gusilahenten

hi or hihont gusilehenten

ifp^-^

f^ or fi^^^ Tff^c^C^C^JT

66

PARTICIPLES.
Conjunctive.

Present^
Perfect,

^cftc^
^f^=i^
stf^c^lf

gusunte
gusilot

while removing

having removed on removing

Future,

gusile

Substantive or Adjective.

Present,
Perfect^

^CFT^I
SJ51

gusufita

removing.^

a remover

gusa

removed^ a removing

Declension of "^1, as a substantive.

Noni.

Gen.
Dat.

a removing of a removing
to

removing

Ace.
Loc.

a removing
on removing

GERUNDS.
Gen.
Dat.
"^Jp^^
'^[{^^t^

to

of removing removing

Acc.

sjf^^

removing

Sometimes, though very rarely, the verb in the subjunctive mood is combined with 'arifFl to produce
the present definite,
Cblctc^sT,

and pluperfect tenses

as

->]#-

shoidd be removitig;

sffsf^c^ic^CNS^,

shoidd have been removiiig.

ticiple also

The conjunctive

par-

admits these tenses; -^f^tf R^, w/Ve re-

7noving,
ever,

^f^-^^j having removed; these forms, howare inelegant and unnecessary.

67

The

causal form st^tt*

^^U

to re^nove,

or put

awai/, and the secondary causal Tf^wif , 'JT^^^I, to

refnove through the

hand of another ,

are conjugated

as in the subjoined synopses.

Analogous
ing verbs.

in conjugation with nf^, are the follow-

\st

Causal.

2nd Causal.

Hear
See

^far, ^;^l

^^tf, ^^^1
ctt-arit, Ctf-f
fl?:Tt',

^^^tl', ^^^i1
cif^wtf, cf4^^l
<i|*^tt', vfl^^^il

CKf4,c^m
^fi",

Leave
Fly

4^1

W1 4?^1

^f^,

^1

^5t^, ^^iJl

^iF^tf,

^5^wi

The

following are conjugated, in their causal forms,

like ism\t,

^C^mtf
^f
1

Do
Move
Seize
Surround

^fi[,

^5t^, ^l1^^\
^^]f, ^z^]^\
sf^tt, ^c^T^sil

^cTfsit^,

^c^t^^i
^^r^l^Q^I

^f%,
^fi,
C5lf?,
fff,

5Til
%f^l

^c^T^T^,

5fC5T^tt, 5!fRt^il

C^ti C^^\t, CiTClT^l CSiaT^tt,

CSRt^^l

Give

f^?1

f^^tt, f^v3^1
firirtl',

f^^^T^
f^^s^Tf

Take

f^, f^?l
sifi:,

f^^s^l

The verb
the synopsis.

^^\, to move, to run, becomes, in

the negative form,

^f^r,

^^e^l;

as will

be seen

in

68

Co

"5?

69

70

71

72

-TS

19
;5

It-

;|5:

c^
llf

O Q <

19
its'

RT

0^

pi

to

(91

15

T
s"

m tt ^ M ^ |9

tt 19

(7.

(7.

CO

73

a
19
P7a

Iv

lv

he

<

IE

d Q <
IP
15-

IP

ic-

,l

IX

fY
if>

V V .^
.>|^
J;^

f^ IP

I?

K
_-

f*-

^ IP
KJ

S.

g
NJ

c?

(o

kJ

pv.

t7.

to r

<E vH

74

4)

3
19

-^

re

(c

1^

ta

5i

O Q

-<

15-

15-

hr

fr
t*> K->
ol*/'

|r

rt|>

io

W'
U^

(9 KJ
.)|f/

g N*
-W
bi
IV,

S ^
t^ oK
.tIA

fr

f^
fp

f^
if>

kJ
>!*/

lo
<??

KJ

M
Ui

i^
po

-^K -^K i bf
ta pa

/k>

1^

Ui

*^

SO

f^ o|/^
^>

9 M lA U^
\J
VJ

/W/
U^
v_>

|/^

U^

1^

U^

ka

tck

.-H

C^ C^ 00

-H C* C^ CO

f-H

C^ C^

CO

75

19

^
9? la

o
19

76

PASSIVE VOICE.
There
is, strictly

speaking, no passive voice in Asa-

mese verbs, although there are two forms of conjugation which resemble
it,

by the conjunction of

ti^

or

f?f

with the perfect participle of other verbs.

passive in appearance only, the sense
51^ f^?n "t^
is

The

first is

active; as

/ give
thou givesf

^^
^fsi
f*T

fT?1
fffTTl

^
C^T^I

thou givest
he gives

f^?1

^f

The

other form corresponds in sense to the passive

voice, but not in form; the

noun or pronoun being pnt

in the accusative, while the verb is uniformly in the

third person, agreeing with the substantive participle

as

its

nominatvie; thus,
it is

C^\^ R?n t\V5

given to me, or there

is

a giving of it
given to

to

me

C^T^

f^?i1

t^l^

it is it is

v5t^ f^?1 t\l5

given to

you him
as ^^.

The verb
^t^
C*tt^1

\'i\

is

used

in the

same way

^T^

it is found
it

>5T^ C^T^l

^^

has been found, &c.

77

ADVERBS.
There are but few words
sively as
in

Asamese used
is

exclu-

Adverbs; their place

'generally supplied

by nouns and pronouns

cases, or by nouns

in the loeative

and ablative

and adjectives followed by the

verb

T^fk.

kori, usually shortened to

lowing are specimens of those in

1.

The folmost common use.

t^
koi.

Words

used only as adverbs.

^"l-^"^
f[^'[f,
-

or ^Tc^'^1 again,

always;

3T?>T5',

>Tff1

^"^^i^^ forever.

firc^'^i
;r,

daily y WiTTj, truly, certainly.

csrt,

not, a negative particle;

not yet.

<^f%, severally; as ?fTf *^^, to each severally. C^f%?l, when; c^f%?1, then; c^f%in, when? c^f%'

^t^5 ever

with a negative, never.

C<!>f^?rT?1,

sometimes;

atc^TT^, ow/y,

merely.

^iti almost f for the most part.

2.

Adjectives used as adverbs.

^Tf%, exceedingly.
^t^f, more-.,

^f% and

5r5r, very much* 3T^J, ^^^, fj(^f

^i,

again.

truly.

3.

Nouns used

as adverbs, without any modifica-

tion of case.
^Tf^f, to-day.
<Pt(2^,

yesterday,

^Tf^

or ^tt^c^, to-morrow
^

^\\\ or *i"5^f , ^Jy before yesterday or a/Zer to-morrow ; 5i1%, a^ night.

once\ ^^r1, twice; ^f^T, owe
(/ay.

the f/ay

Also nouns joined with a numeral adjective, as

flt^f^j

vfi^t^j

78
4.

Nouns and pronouns

in the locative case.

^fTP^,

afterwards; wTTf^, before.

^tc^, there;

t^Tc^, /iere\
tant);

^^, there (more dis^

^

^^, ivhere?

^WC^, thereupon''^ c^?fC^, quickly. 5. Nouns and pronouns in the ablative

<^TC5, *^c^,

case.

afterwards; iTC^ and wTCJt^, before.

before

^TCJf

<^t?:^,

and after.

^C^, gradually, in regular order.

and ^r^'5, throughout, continually. from f^^^ and fjrR<r, certainly) ^^clfi alone;
VQC5

^^5^, used as substantives.

^U^, slowly;
therefore;

<^z^z^f,{\oc.

emph.
c'tI'

off|f)

upon

this,

>flt c^^Tc^r,

^^^s ^^^y;

f<^tc^, ^/^ere.

4f c^^C^, 4^
reason.

^l^C^,

^^ fsrfst:^, wherefore, for

this

The
as ^^,
6.

genitive and dative are also sometimes used;

whence?

^tsf, thither.

Instead of the regular forms of the locative and

ablative cases, other slight modifications are occasionally

used to express the sense of the adverb.

to wit
;

'si^ft^,
TT-oi^Jt^j

from ^f, meaning,

JTt^ij,

i^ presence of; from

presence.

f^C^^* icholly, really-, from fiT^f

tsithf,

before; contraction for ^iTt t^.

^?^, r//ar; contraction for ^^t?;.

^^^^Tf, again; from ^i;.

^TTff^Csi^, quickly,
3[?f4 ^^f^,

used instead of ?T5tc^^.

yearly, instead of ^^c^ ^^c^.

79

what? C^e^^ or ^l\i-^fy why? instead of fsp^t?!. **if f^C"^* here^ contraction of 4^ Rf^C^.
f^f,

why? from

f^,

'^il^^there^
7.

commonly used instead of ^f

reduplicated.

f^Tc^.

Nouns

5itriF 51]:^,

sometimes

f^cJ^ ffrc^r,

daily.

'^\i\

^i:5, or c?fH>ii
o/ifew
;

c<rf5i>a,

wzawy times.

^R m^T,
8.

^CiT aciT, silently.

C\TJ\ c^C*T, /ro;;^

country to country.
adjectives combined with the verb

Nouns and

^fl or t^.
^^^<p, greatly-, 4:5^^ swiftly

^T1?^, tW/.

T^^t^, much'y

fsi?ra^^,

moderately.

^^i(t^, earnestly

The
*tR,

sense of

?ir!5,

^at^, laboriously. in expressed by ^c*^, &c. following the adjective or noun; as Cf\\
\

many adverbs

^Z^, thus; ^t ^l^i ^f ^C^j in this manner

c?:,

^R

^51-

otherwise.
follox/in^ are peculiar:
literally,

The

^Tf^, j)erhapsy

what

is

known?

or

who knows?
^IC^l, /e*^;
lit.

I mtderstand;

or, if

used as an

interrogative,

it

has the force of a negative.

C^f^

is

a term used by the vulgar,

when

name

or

word
you

is

forgotten,
it ?

and

is

synonymous with, What do

call
is

What's his name ?

c^l is strongly affirmative.

Od

a particle denoting a slight degree of surprise

or inquiry,

80

CONJUNCTIONS.
It is difficult to

draw

the line of distinction

;

between

adverbs and conjunctions

ciff%?i1, C^f5?rl,

when and

then, conjoin the various parts of a sentence as truly

as

;5rf^,

if,

c^c^, then; while ^5' c^^r-^, f^ CK^Z^i

Cf\f

fiiifsicxs,

c^t <PRC^, f^?C^i, therefore, because, for,

seem

entitled to rank with adverbs, as well as f^?, f^

^TiCJT,

f^ f^fac^,

why? wherefore?

The
speech.

following are a few specimens of this part of

^T^, and, also, moreover.

^, alsoy seldom used except in combination with
other words.
^1

or\ ^tf^l, otherwise.

f^?C5ri,

because

literally,

and why?

f%^, however.
C^^,
^55tTf1, yet,

notwithstanding.

^R

if\ C^i'^ or c^sc^, then.

C^, CW^-> C^^r, that.

Ihan

is

expressed by t^ affixed to the ablative

case; ^^i^t^, than this; ^1n5^^, than that,

INTERJECTIONS.
C^;,

0,

is

used in addressing respectfully.

CWj^i

CXt^) CJJ\, W, used in calling.

AT^, indeed^ truly; ^T^, ivell donel

f^;, oh, ah',
fp^-,

fie!

\\X VX-)

(lias!

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